


Rise of the Minor Arcana

by KotoriRod



Series: Stories of the Minor Arcana [1]
Category: Persona 5, 恋与制作人 | Liàn Yǔ Zhì Zuò Rén | Mr. Love: Queen's Choice (Video Game)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Age Difference, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Crossover, M/M, Mystery, One-Sided Attraction, Prequel, Romance, Shounen-ai, Spoilers for Persona 5 Royal
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-10
Updated: 2020-11-18
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:28:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 25,318
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25166959
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KotoriRod/pseuds/KotoriRod
Summary: High school had been a significant impact on his life, mostly his second year. Despite having been marked a criminal thanks to a false accusation, he was able to get his name cleared and gain many friends and confidants. Ren Amamiya was grateful for the times he shared with them, from the doctor who ran the clinic near the cafe to the arcade boy who taught him how to shoot.Each of them taught him something about himself, and in turn, they were able to become better than before. He remembered each of them, and he had talked about them during his time of incarceration with Inspector Nijima.However, there were four others he had stayed silent about. Only Morgana and his teammates knew about them for various reasons. Despite having never talking about them, they each played a role in his path to victory against the end. Igor had considered them Minor confidants, but he still held them dear to his heart even to this day.-----This is a crossover between Persona 5 Royal & Mr. Love: Queen's Choice where P5's protagonist is also MC for MLQC :D
Relationships: Bái Qǐ | Gavin/Persona 5 Protagonist, Lǐ Zéyán | Victor/Persona 5 Protagonist, Xǔ Mò | Lucien/Persona 5 Protagonist, Zhōu Qíluò | Kiro/Persona 5 Protagonist
Series: Stories of the Minor Arcana [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1825552
Comments: 8
Kudos: 12





	1. Arrival to Tokyo

**Author's Note:**

> So just clear things up, this is a crossover of Persona 5 Royal and Mr. Love: Queen’s Choice. Why is there a crossover? Because I’m a dork who is a fujoshi and decided to have Joke replace MC while also tying in the story of P5 into the mix of Mr. Love. Call it some guilty pleasure. 
> 
> Also, this is considered a prequel to the events of Mr. Love, approximately five years I would say. Story was changed just a bit in order for the two games to coincide. 
> 
> For example, Evolvers do exist but they aren’t fully out yet due to the fear that is strong in Tokyo right now thanks to the mental shutdowns. Are the Phantom Theives Evols? Maybe? I mean, Joker is one of course :D
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The last month had been surreal. 
> 
> It went from him leaving from cram school to attending a high school in Tokyo under probation. A sense of hopelessness was massive on his shoulders, with the only thoughts on his mind was to get through this year with ease.
> 
> Little did he know that he will be playing a vital role in the events that will shape the destinies of many he comes across.

_**4/9/XX - Daytime** _

Amamiya Ren let out a heavy sigh. He stared down at his phone, reading the GPS’s directions to Yogenjaya. He didn’t think that a month would go by quickly, but it had in the worst way possible.

Everything was supposed to be ready for his second year at his hometown’s high school. He had many friends, some he had grown up with since childhood. All it took was getting involved with a couple fighting and being accused of assault to turn everything into a mess.

Ren shook his head. He needed to reach the district and his new guardian’s home. He’ll then start his year of probation with ease, and then he can go back home.

All this thinking had come to a halt when he noticed something strange on his phone screen. There was a weird crimson icon with an ominous black eye in the middle of the screen. It probably became aware of his gaze because it expanded until it covered most of the phone’s display. Ren grew annoyed as he reached out with his finger to drag it away. However, his phone was registering his gestures. The icon just continued to stay there, staring up at him.

This nearly distracted him from realizing the world was slowing down to a stop, leaving him to take a few steps before he stood in place. Although the rest of the world was frozen, he was still able to move. The teenager glanced around curiously, trying to see what was causing this phenomenon.

Something off in the distance attracted his gaze. He couldn’t tell what it was, but some burning sensation was growing in his chest. It was almost ready to burst, but he felt no pain. Just as quickly as the feeling came, it disappeared, allowing the world to resume its average pace.

“Hey, kid! Get moving,” someone called out to him. 

Ren realized that he was standing almost in the middle of the street as the traffic started moving again. Thankfully, the sidewalk was just a few feet away as he moved to jog the rest of the distance. It was odd, but it felt like the floor beneath him was lower than expected. He stumbled backward while noticing that a truck that was in the street had impatiently gunned its engines. It was roaring, turning into the lane just as where he stood. There was no way for the driver to stop in time. He could hear people screaming in fear, and some people were moving to try and grab him. A blaring horn alerted him of his impending doom. 

He just had the worst luck to happen to a teenager ever.

However, Ren never felt the ground. In fact, he felt like he was suspended in midair, aside from the fact that he thought someone was holding him close. Silver-colored eyes closed shut, scared that it was all an illusion and the last thing Ren will see is the grill of the truck. Instead, he just saw a white dress shirt and a black tie.

What was going on?

Whoever had grabbed him was running with him in their arms. Once they reached the sidewalk, everything that felt like it froze at the moment resumed as the horn flared passed them along with people reacting in shock. The crowd moved, some giving enough space as whoever had pulled him to safety helped him narrowly miss the truck. It sped off as if ignoring the fact that it nearly committed manslaughter.

People clamored to check on him. Ren didn’t feel the warm concrete. Instead, he felt warmth and a heartbeat. Lifting his head, he saw that his savior was sitting up while carefully pushing him off him. He was met with sharp violet orbs staring into his silver ones, making him freeze in place. 

_“Oh no, the poor kid is in shock.”_

_“What an idiot.”_

_“Probably was playing some stupid game on his phone.”_

_“Is he hurt?”_

_“Did someone get the plate on that truck?”_

The crowd murmured amongst themselves, with only one other person approaching him to assess his wellbeing. Ren quickly hopped onto his feet while his savior stood up calmly. The teenager eyed at the suit he wore, a blue jacket that contrasted against the white pants that had some scuffs now. Ren was a bit speechless, unsure what to say until he bowed lowly to him.

There was no response for a moment. When Ren didn’t hear anything, he suspected the man had left. Ren looked up to see that the man had turned to do just that, but he heard something said beneath his breath. 

“ _Damn idiot..._ ”

Ren felt his jaw unhinge. Did the guy seriously call him an idiot? Sure, he hadn’t been paying attention, but it wasn’t his fault. It was too late before he could snap at the man. He was gone, disappearing into the crowd. 

“Damn it...”

Ren then remembered what had caused all this as he quickly looked down at his phone. The icon was there, but it was at the usual size of the other apps. He then pressed down on it long enough to bring the prompt up to delete it. He took in a deep breath, reassuring those who had checked on him before he resumed his trek.

He just needed to reach Yogen-Jaya without incident, and he can live the rest of this school year in peace.

-+-+-+-

_**4/9/XX - Daytime** _

The universe was just not giving him a break today. The train he was supposed to take along with the entire train system was delayed for the next two hours. No thanks due to an accident on one of the lines. At least, that's what he got from the information booth when he found the terminal he was supposed to take was blocked off.

Ren bowed his head in defeat. He could take a cab there, but the traffic in this city seemed dire. Plus, he'd rather avoid being too close to the streets after what happened just an hour ago. The teenager glanced back down at his phone, seeing that it'll take about an hour to get to his destination on foot. He reluctantly resigned to that choice, turning to head where the app told him to go when he collided with someone.

"Whoa, easy!"

Ren fixed his glasses, looking up to see another teenager standing before him. Compared to him, the boy dressed in casual clothes, a red sleeveless hoodie on top of a black shirt with blue jeans. He had golden blonde hair and teal eyes. The boy smiled brightly and said, "Sorry about that. I guess we were both not looking where we're going."

The spectacle-wearer nodded his head in acknowledgment, about to excuse himself to continue with his trek when the blonde boy commented, "Whoa, hey! You're a Shujin student?"

Indeed, he was wearing the uniform of the school he would be attending for the year. His father had suggested he wear it to give an excellent first impression to his new caretaker. The blonde asked, "Wow, I've never seen you there before. You a transfer student?"

Again, Ren slowly nodded his head. He really wanted to keep on walking. If he delayed anymore, who knows how things would go for him being out in this dangerous city. Thankfully, the blonde seemed to read his discomfort, taking a step back to give him room and apologized, "Sorry, I'm just excited. It'll be great to see a new face at the school."

The blonde bowed his head before introducing himself. "I'm Hikaru Kira, soon-to-be third-year at Shujin Academy!"

So that meant this guy was his upperclassman. He seemed rather outgoing and charming. Ren bowed his head in return, just a bit lower than him as he answered, "Amamiya Ren, uh... soon-to-be second-year. I hope to learn much from you, senpai."

"Hey, no need for those honorifics," Kira smiled brightly as he used his hand to wave off the formalities. "Anyways, why are you dressed in that uniform? Did you get from the school to get your paperwork done?"

"I, uh, no... I just got here. I'm trying to get to Yogenjaya, actually," he replied.

That seemed to make Kira wince in mental pain. "And I guess you gotta walk there because of the train."

News travels fast in this city, Ren noted to himself before inquiring, "Does that often happen here?" 

"Only recently," Kira answered with a nonchalant shrug. "With all the talk about mental shutdowns, it's surprising you choose now to transfer schools."

"Mental... shutdowns?"

For the next thirty minutes, Ren learned everything that has been happening in the city while walking with Kira. It was odd, but despite just meeting him, he felt he could talk with ease around him. However, Ren had avoided telling him the circumstances that led him to his transfer. He simply stated that while his parents were moving out of the country, he wanted to stay with a "relative" of theirs. As such, Kira took it upon himself to give a small tour of the restaurants and stores that were on the way to Yogenjaya.

At about halfway there, Ren saw Kira checked his phone.

"Oh shit, I need to get going," he moaned in dismay. "I nearly forgot that I was supposed to meet up with some of my friends."

"Ah, sorry," Ren apologized, about to bow his head.

"Nah, don't be!"

As Kira pocketed his phone, he gave Ren a wave of goodbye and called out while departing, "See you on Monday, Ren!"

With that, Ren was standing alone in the street, but he didn't feel as bad as he was before. His mood was lifted just a bit, feeling glad that someone like Kira-senpai will be at the school. It made him nearly forget about his death experience and also the rude savior of his.

A loud grumble and slight pang in his abdomen area quickly reminded him of his need to eat. He hadn't eaten breakfast, have been rushing to make sure he got on the trains properly. Thankfully, there was a convenience store just nearby. After some perusing, he got what he wanted: an egg sandwich and a soda to carry along. That should hold him over until he reached this Sakura Sojiro's house. He stuffed the sandwich in his mouth, enjoying the fluffy texture while thinking about the senpai he had just met. He was glad that at least going to be people like Kira there. It'll be nice to have a good year, at least here.

However, he felt the lingering fear. What if Kira found out the truth? He's sure that the teachers know, so would that information become known by the school populace. However, he didn't want to get ostracized. Ren's lips thinned, feeling the frustration rising in his chest. Attempting to quell it, he shoved the other sandwich into his mouth while he struggled to open the soda bottle. Fizzy foam erupted from the bottle once the cap was released, spilling out and on to the sidewalk. Once he could quell it, the bottle's contents were now just half of what it was. Was this an ominous warning of what was to come during his stay in Tokyo?

After taking a few sips of his drink, he placed it in the plastic bag. Although his stomach growling was quelled, he could feel it becoming upset thanks to the anxiety coming back. He took in and let out a shaky breath, about to take another step towards Yogenjaya.

"Ah, excuse me."

Ren looked over his shoulder to the person who had called out to him. They were a bit taller than he was, sporting brown hair and golden eyes. There was a question held in the gaze before recognition filled the golden orbs that matched his own. It had been a month since he had seen him, specifically back when he graduated from school. Ren didn't attend it, being as that was during the time he was going back and forth in the courtroom. Still, he didn't expect to see him again.

"Kazama-senpai?!"

This was Kazama Haku, a graduate of his high school back in his hometown. Although they shared a friend through Kanya, Ren couldn't say that they were close friends. They hung out occasionally whenever Kanya was around, and that was it. It was probably due in part to the rumors of him being an extorter and a bully, but Kanya would say otherwise.

Ren hadn't expected to run into him here, especially after his little fumble with the soda just a second ago.

"Amamiya-san... what are you doing here?"

Ren's throat tightened up as he looked away. 

"I... transferred schools," he answered in an almost robotic tone. It was a practiced response at this point, at least towards those who didn't know. It was easier to say earlier, so why was it harder now? "My parents were going out of the country, but I wanted to stay in Japan until I graduated."

There was a long uncomfortable pause before he heard his ex-upperclassman relay, "I... I see."

The awkwardness of the situation was growing even more pungent. Ren could never converse with Kazama alone. It fell on to Kanya's shoulders to keep the conversation rolling. His grip tightened on the handle of his carrier and plastic bag. After a while, Ren spoke up, "It is good to see you, senpai."

He took a step back, bowing his head before turning to head towards Yogenjaya. He didn't notice the older teenager opening his mouth, reaching out to talk to him but remained silent.

-+-+-+-

_**4/9/XX - Evening** _

Thankfully, he reached the area just a bit after 4 PM. Though, no one was answering when he rang the bell. It was convenient that a mumbling postman spoke about Sakura-san’s cafe. That’s where he was now, opening the door as a soft bell jingled his arrival. He stepped into the restaurant that had a bar settled on the right side. Instead of alcoholic drinks, the shelves held different kinds of coffee grinds.

At the bar, two adults were conversing with an older man dressed in a pink shirt. They were sitting at the bar, sipping their coffee as the male of the duo stated, “I believe the word you’re looking for is ‘oyster.’”

The bartender jotted down the suggested word on the little booklet he had before humming in appreciation. The woman who was sipping her coffee with the man glanced up to look at Ren. The pink-shirt wearer took notice that his patrons were focusing at the front door, for he too turned to stare at Ren.

Feeling he was the center of attention, Ren move about in his spot on the doormat.

“Oh right,” the pink-clad man muttered. “That was today, wasn’t it?”

Ren kept his head down, looking just at the corner of the bar counter. His eyes did wander across the small restaurant, seeing the rustic atmosphere seemed fitting, albeit out of place. He saw the duo stand up from their stools as the man interjected while placing some money on the counter. “As always, thank you for the coffee, Sakura-san.” The woman extended her thanks as well, following the man ahead.

His voice sounded relatively smooth, making Ren ponder just who these people were. The woman was also rather nice, but that seemed to be all that was common between them. The man has dressed formally in a sizeable beige coat draped over his shoulders while the woman had goth-like attire.

Seeing as they were leaving, Ren quickly pulled the door open for them, getting a soft thank from the woman while the man smiled, “Why, thank you...?”

There was a pause before Ren realized that the man was asking for his name. Why was that?

” Uh... Amamiya.”

Why did he answer?

The man continued to smile, nodding his head before heading out. The loud jingle announced their departure after he let the door go, leaving him with the man who would be his guardian for a year. Ren had met many interesting characters today, both familiar and unfamiliar. As he listened to his new guardian relay the rules of what was to be his year in Tokyo, he hoped that it would go without a hitch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So gonna give a head’s up, the title of the chapters will indicate who is talking or the POV is focused on. It’s not gonna say their names but once you get the gist of who’s arcana is who’s, you’ll know who it’s going to be from. Also, this isn’t really going to be a “walkthrough” story. It’s not going to cover everything that is going to happen in the game, mostly moments that involve the Minor Arcana.
> 
> Also I converted the names to the ones they go by in the Japanese version.
> 
> Victor = Zen  
> Lucien = Simon  
> Gavin = Haku  
> Kiro = Kira
> 
> I lol'd a bit at Kiro's because... Light Yagami?  
> I also changed Akira's name to Ren Amamiya because... Kira and Akira would get confusing ; v;
> 
> I hope you liked the chapter! I will be working on the next one and hope to have it out soon.


	2. Ace of Wands

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kira finally gets the chance to talk with Ren, despite the rumors of expulsion on the rise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I'm sure if you've been reading this, you might be wondering what happened to the original Chapter 2. I didn't like it tbh so I took it down. Here's the new chapter 2. I usually have timelines for these but I'm mostly going on the fly atm
> 
> As mentioned in update of chapter 1, I converted the names to the ones they go by in the Japanese version.
> 
> Victor = Zen  
> Lucien = Simon  
> Gavin = Haku  
> Kiro = Kira
> 
> I lol'd a bit at Kiro's because... Light Yagami?
> 
> Enjoy :B

****4/23/XX - After School** **

Ren couldn't suppress the yawn he was holding any longer. Finally, the school day ended, and he was ready for the weekend. However, he thought back to the few texts he got from Ann and Ryuji. They wanted to deal with Kamoshida as soon as possible. Yesterday, they had finally found his treasure, or at least where it was going to be. That meant they had a straight secure route to it once they sent the calling card. Ryuji said he had been working on it all night, ready to post it all over the school.

However, the teenager didn't want to have to face whatever could be guarding the treasure once that happened on a Sunday. He had hoped to relax and breathe for once away from everything. The past few weekends had been filled with preparing for the move and also dealing with the threat of expulsion. Still, Ann and Ryuji were right. The sooner it's done, the less likely they'll procrastinate until the board meeting date. They only had a week or so more before Kamoshida will tell the other teachers of the "assault" he and Ryuji "committed". Then he would be carted off to juvenile detention.

It would just be another notch on the belt he was forced to wear, all because he wanted to protect someone. Kamoshida was just another person falsely accusing him. His silver eyes narrowed down at the bag, nearly forgetting that Morgana was there. 

"You okay, Joker?" the cat asked in concern. The cat's voice was still a hard thing to get used to. The fact that Morgana could speak out here like he could in the Metaverse was astonishing and probably grounds for him to go to an insane asylum. Hell, a lot has happened in the past two weeks as he wondered if he had just lost his mind. Still, it felt good to do this, to do the right thing again and not feel regretful when doing it. Feeling that drive returning, Ren lifted his phone and was about to text the others they could send the calling card tonight.

Before he hit send, Ren heard his name. Someone was calling out to him. He looked up while Morgana quickly ducked back into his bag, trying to see who in the classroom was asking for him. It seemed the rest of the class who was present was curious as well as everyone was now staring upon one of the entrances into the classroom, and there stood a familiar blond third-year student.

"Hikaru-senpai?" Ren announced to himself. 

-+-+-+-

Kira was beaming with a big smile. It had taken some time, especially with his friends from the volleyball team, urging him to avoid making contact with Amamiiya-kun. The third-year smiled brightly before walking up to him, carrying his bag in tow. He wasn't blind to those who were shocked at him approaching the infamous transfer student. He had heard the rumors, but they were outlandish at minimum. If he really wanted to get to know the guy, he would listen to it from his mouth instead of everyone else.

Once Kira got close enough, he leaned forward and asked, "You wanna hang out, Amamiya-san?"

For a moment, he thought Amamiya-kin was going to reject his offer. He watched his mouth open and close while those silver eyes were darting everywhere to avoid meeting his teal eyes. Finally, the raven-haired kouhai answered, "I... sure?"

With that, Kira leaned back away to give him space and announced, "Then I'll see you at the school gates!"

He turned and left, already planning to wait until for him as long as possible. As he stepped out of the classroom, he saw Sota running up to him with a rather peeved expression on his face. 

"Don't tell me you actually asked the guy," Kira heard his friend speak like he was giving an accusation. 

Kira sighed as he explained, "You can't just judge people just because of what other people say, Sota."

"You don't even know the guy."

"And that's why I asked him to hang with us today," Kira boastfully stated. Though, the smile he was sporting dulled just a bit when he saw Sota rubbing his own forearm. His eyes glanced down at the bruises and cut lip on his friend's face. The aversion of his gaze also was telling as the blonde chuckled, "Ah, is it practice today?"

"Y-yeah," Sota relayed. "Kamoshida really wants us to get ready since we lost one of our starters."

By that, he had meant the incident with Suzui Shiho. Kira was bothered by the event, as were many who had witnessed the girl jump. 

"Well, shouldn't you be taking a break?" Kira asked, reaching for his friend's bandaged hand. Sota quickly jerked away from his reach as his friend stated, "Not all of us have it easy like you, Kira."

The words didn't hurt as Kira knew that Sota didn't intend them to. Instead, he just heard Sota give his farewell and mentioned that Teru wasn't going to make it either. With that, he was left to head downstairs alone. Guess he'll just be hanging out with Ren by himself. That wasn't too bad, in his opinion. He just had hoped he could get his friends to join and hopefully help Ren.

-+-+-+-

****4/23/XX - After School** **

"Ah, man!" Kira groaned in defeat.

The score on the screen read that Red Player won the game by the highest score, while Blue was just a couple points behind. Kira stared at the points contrasting with each other as Ren triumphantly fixed his glasses. "Surprised someone like you is pretty good with rhythm games, Amamiya-san," the third-year complimented as they stepped off the dancing machine so the next person in line could play.

"I just had a lot of practice," Ren spoke in a matter-of-fact tone. He didn't want to detail that his parents had put him in a lot of dance classes upon his request as a kid, and he had considered joining the club back at his old school.

"Must have a pretty neat arcade back where you come from," Kira commented as they headed for some room away from the arcade machines. With it being a Saturday afternoon, many of the high school students in the area had come out here to start their weekend early. They were able to find a wall that gave them some space from the other arcade attendees.

The blonde handed Ren an unopened bottle of water. Eagerly taking it to drink it up, Ren listened to Kira.

"Thanks for coming out to hang with me. I was worried you were going to decline."

A guilty look appeared on his face as Ren closed the bottle, handing it back to him. His companion gave a small smile before stating, "If you're worried about me getting caught up on whatever the rumors are, you don't have to worry about that."

Ren watched him look ahead, staring at the new player on the dance machine as the upperclassman continued, "When I started my freshman year, I had rumors going around me as well. People thought this was dyed hair, and others claimed I was part of a gang abroad, escaping from some plot that killed my parents."

A question immediately raised in his head as Ren almost asked him. Thankfully, to avoid the tactless inquiry, Kira answered already, "My parents died when I was little. I don't remember much before my uncle took me in. We moved around a lot since his work took him everywhere, but I enjoyed it."

Kira then pulled at one of his bangs before stating, "And this is my real hair color."

"You said that rumors were spread about you," Ren commented. "Did they ever stop?"

"Eventually," Kira answered. "It took a while, and what really helped was that I didn't really care about what people said about me."

Kira turned his gaze to look at Ren.

"And you should do the same."

Was he really that much of an open book? Then again, anyone would get bothered by rumors being spread about themselves from day one. He would lower his head as if hoping ducking down would stop people from talking about him.

The rumors got worse when he and Ryuji started hanging out, mostly out of necessity, on infiltrating Kamoshida's Palace. When Ann joined their escapades, people assumed they were helping her get back by cheating on Kamoshida. That wasn't helping matters, and it was clear the volleyball coach wasn't going to bother clearing things up. It was all just evidence against them once the board meeting happens, should they fail. 

There were times he wondered if he just kept to himself, if Ren kept his nose out of it, he probably would have been fine. Though, that wasn't him. He wasn't going to let someone get hurt when he was around, even if it costs him so much. 

"Uh... sorry if I spoke out of turn," Kira's voice spoke, pulling him out of his thoughts. He had a confused look on his face as Kira explained, "Well, I thought you were mad that I was telling you to ignore them, and really you should. They don't know you and not bothering to even try to."

"Is that what you are doing now, senpai?" Ren asked.

"Hey, I wanted to get to know you ever since I met you," the blonde spoke ecstatically. Again, Kira was smiling brightly, almost enough to illuminate the arcade. It was addictive as Ren felt his lips curving into a nervous smile before saying, "I don't want to trouble you."

"If you were trouble, then you should mug me right now."

The black-haired teen watched as the bright smile turned into one of a joking sneer. Kira leaned closer to him, a little too close to be, in fact. The smirk grew as their noses were almost touching.

"Well?"

Ren was baffled before he pointed out, "I think I might be the one going to get mugged here."

After a couple seconds of tension, Kira finally let out of a guffaw of laughter and leaned back to give Ren space. The younger teen was confused, watching Kira lean back against the wall while taking a quick swig of water.

"Man, the face you made just now! Just another confirmation that you aren't some delinquent like the rumors said."

Ren felt something swell in his heart, almost like when he and Ryuji first went jogging together. He could feel something connecting with this guy, urging him to continue to do so from here on. He couldn't help smiling again, feeling content as he looked ahead at the people playing in the arcade.

-+-+-+-

****4/23/XX - Evening** **

Ren was looking up at his ceiling, letting Morgana roam around the room as he looked at his cellphone. There were a couple of messages, mostly the group chat he shared with Ryuji and Ann. He then saw a text message from Kira. He tapped on it, reading the "thank you" note along with wishes they could hang out again some time. 

He will admit that it was nice to have another person he could hang out with that wasn't involved in this mess. Ren could only hope that Kira wasn't going to get dragged into it.


	3. Ace of Cups

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With no idea if the change of heart was happening to Kamoshida, Ren decides to go spend his Sunday to relax the best he can. Needless to say, things didn’t go according to plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this one took awhile longer because I debated on what I would have Lucien (Simon) be focused on. Just a head’s up, he’s mostly going to be toying with Ren in the first couple of ranks before something happens :P  
> I had also wanted to put Victor’s (Zen’s) Confidant start in here but decided against it. He’ll be having his own chapter :D
> 
> Also I did art of one little scene because I was bored, thought it be fun :3  
> Link here: https://kotorirod.tumblr.com/post/624842694780403712/hi-guys-ive-started-writing-a-crossover-fan-fic
> 
> Enjoy the chapter!

****5/1/XX - Daytime** **

Ren finished the curry bowl that Sojiro was kind enough to make for him. It was one of the many perks he got while working some nights with his guardian, especially a tasty coffee to match. As the teenager finished the warm cup, Ren heard the bell ring. He could feel the urging daggers from his elder, making him rush to down the coffee so he could leave and let the man work. The teenager had grabbed his bag and slid off the stool, only to stop when he saw who the person was at the entrance. It was that man from before, the one who had been drinking with Dr. Takemi. What was his name? He knew the doctor had mentioned it once offhandedly before they discussed their deal.

Not that it mattered. 

Ren began to ponder on what his plans would be for today. Maybe he can head to the diner to try that one dish Kira had mentioned before. Ever since that afternoon, he and Kira would hang out every so often at school. Sure, people were still spreading rumors about him, but after taking the upperclassman's advice, they weren't as frequently heard. He remembered Kira and Ryuji mentioning about a movie called _The Cake Knight Rises_. It sounded corny, but for it to be a sequel of a rather highly-acclaimed film, he could give it a chance.

His thoughts stopped as Morgana meowed something, alerting him that the man hadn’t moved from the door. Thinking he was in the way, Ren had taken a step the side to let him pass him. However, the man never moved. Instead, he saw that his smile and gaze was focused on him as the man asked, “Amamiya-san, right?”

”Um... yes?” Ren answered with some uncertainty.

”Ah, good,” the man spoke. “I was looking for you.”

Ren kept his face from going pale. Wait, why was this guy looking for him? Was he someone that worked at school, maybe? Maybe he worked with Kamoshida, and this was how they were going to be silenced by outside means.

Oh great, Ryuji’s crazy theories were suddenly rubbing off on him.

As if reading what was on his mind, the man chuckled and stated, “Don’t worry, it’s nothing bad. I had wanted to thank you for helping Takemi-san.”

”Is he troubling you?” Sojiro’s stern voice broke through, making Ren look behind him to see that his guardian was ready to scold him. Even with the times that they had worked together, he knew he still had to earn the full trust of his caretaker.

”No, it’s alright, Sakura-san,” the man assured him. “This young man has been helping a friend of mine, and I wanted to thank him.”

Although his expression softened, Ren did see that there was still distrust in his eyes. Although, he felt that it was less aimed at him and more at the would-be customer. It seemed his plans weren’t going to be done by his lonesome as the man suggested he treat him to a meal. At least he could probably get a chance to try to that item at the diner.

-+-+-+-

 ****5/1/XX - Daytime** **

The meal was excellent, and he was able to sneak a few bites to Morgana, who softly mewled in thanks. He smiled down at him before he heard the man ask, "Do you always carry your cat everywhere?"

Ren looked up, staring at the man who was Simon Gentou. They had traded a few words on the way to Shibuya, mostly what felt like the older man trying to get information on what Takemi-san was working on. It may not have been said, but he wasn't going to break her trust. She helped him get the best medicine they needed to fight the Shadows in the Palace and Mementos. Plus, she was a kind woman.

So now, the topics have been more revolving on him or more so, Morgana.

"I can't really leave him be at the cafe," Ren confessed. "Sakura-san may have fatten him up when I'm not looking."

He ignored the glower from his feline friend and the soft chuckle from Gentou-san.

"He does seem to do that with the strays around Yogenjaya," Gentou-san agreed.

Ren watched him rest one of his arms on the table, chin resting on the hand before the older man stated, "I'm unsure what to make of you, Amamiya-san. With the way Sakura-san spoke of you, you seemed the kind to keep to your own devices, but for you to go out of your way to help Takemi-san on whatever she is working on... I must say, I am thankful for your assistance."

With that said, the older man bowed his head, taking Ren a bit aback by this. He wasn't sure what to make of the guy. Was he really thanking him or poking at him to figure him out? 

"Do you... know what she is working on?" Ren asked carefully.

Gentou-san just smiled before asking, "Do you? It seems rather reckless for you to help someone who could be altering your body for nefarious reasons."

Okay, so that meant that Gentou-san was aware of Takemi-san's research. This means he was trustworthy, right? Unless it was a lucky guess. 

"She and I have a deal," Ren confessed. "I help her with her research, and she gives me medication for my entrance exams."

There was a long pause between them as Ren reached with the hand hidden by the table edge to pat Morgana's head for comfort. After a while, he watched Gentou-san relax in his seat and relayed, "My apologies, Amamiya-san. I simply wanted to be sure that my colleague wasn't being used. She is a close friend and has been through a lot."

Up until this point, Ren felt he was walking on eggshells around this man. With that confession, he felt the conversation's weight finally lifted as he listened to the older man continue.

"I'm not sure what she has told you about herself so far, so I won't go into detail. That's her story to tell, but I was there when she was taken away from her calling. She used to be someone who had a strong drive to help people, even after all that's happened. I'd hate for someone to toy with her when she's getting closer and closer to her goal."

Ren didn't miss the subtle warning in the man's words. He nodded his head and replied, "Although we have a deal, I genuinely want to help Takemi-san on her research. She can help a lot of people if it is completed."

Nodding his head, Lucien tilted his head to the left and smiled. "So, I would also like to propose a deal with you, Amamiya-san."

"A deal?"

Gentou-san laced his fingers together, resting his chin on it before smiling almost too innocently.

"I'd like your help with a research project of my own."

The teenager stared blankly at him, waiting for the older man to explain. The next couple of minutes were filled with information about mental health and cognitive research. Ren blinked at the last part, finding it somewhat surprising that the word "cognitive" has been thrown everywhere lately. At least, around him, he heard it used. 

"So, I would like you to accompany me when we are both free on Sundays," Gentou-san requested.

Ren blinked a few times, thinking carefully about this. It'll probably help to have another adult help him, especially if it's to understand the cognitive world. 

"What exactly am I supposed to do?"

"We'll figure that out in a second," he told the young man, pressing the call button to end the meal.

They stepped outside together as Ren patted his stomach. He realized he had eaten a lot in just a small span of a few hours. The teenager shouldn't have eaten the curry, but Ren didn't plan to eat so soon, especially with Gentou-san. Still, the meal was worth it, something he'll have to tell Kira tomorrow if he saw him at school.

The two stood out in Central Street, people walking around them to get by. Ren turned to Gentou-san as he asked, "What do you want to do?"

For the next few hours, Ren walked with the man around Shibuya, namely the station's underground mall. They hopped between shops, some of which Ren took note that he could apply for some jobs. As the day went on, he noticed that Gentou-san had been buying some trinkets here and there that were in small bags that he had placed in his carrier. Morgana had pointed out such every so often, but neither made a verbal inquiry towards the older man about it.

-+-+-+-

 ****5/1/XX - Evening** **

The sun was starting to set, disappearing behind the 109 department building of Shibuya. It always astonished him how almost no matter the time of day, the city was still lively. 

Ren and Gentou-san were at the entrance that led to the J Line as the older man took a few of the bags. After situating everything into a more manageable container, he smiled at Ren and stated, "Thank you for a fun day. It was quite interesting."

The teenager glowered behind his glasses, looking at him before stating, "I felt more like this was some weird shopping spree, and I was your carrier."

Gentou-san looked slightly surprised before he let out a soft chuckle. "Is that what you think happened today?"

Ren continued to observe the man before Gentou-san reached out, grabbing the teenager's wrist so that the palm was facing upward. He then placed the bag of all the trinkets and items into his grasp and making him grasp the handle. 

A long moment of silence emitted from them as Gentou-san just held an innocent smile on his face. 

"Who said these were for me?" 

Ren kept holding a skeptical look on his face as he felt Morgana move about in the bag that was slung on his shoulder. He stared down at the items in the bag, seeing assort knick-knacks, little figures, and posters. One was of that famous singer that was shown across the electronic billboards and pillars. There was even a small Jack Frost plushie, something he remembered staring at in the little store selling stuff animals. As he looked, even more, he realized why all the items were sticking out to him even more.

They were all items he had stared with some interest while walking with Gentou-san in the Underground Mall. 

"Wait..."

Several assumptions were now going through his mind. After a while, one stood out, but that was impossible and the most unlikely. He didn't say it out loud, only returning his gaze to Gentou-san's smile. 

"So, what do you think happened today, Amamiya-kun?"

Keeping his composure the best he could, Ren lifted his shaking hand to his glasses to keep them still on his face. He felt that the sudden realization of the past few hours have made him shrink as he felt smaller in Gentou-san's presence. Ren could feel his face warming up, a blush growing on his face as he reached up to play with the bangs of his black hair.

"Uh... I mean... I guess this could be..."

He couldn't get himself to say the last two words, averting his eyes towards the ground as he continued to play with his bangs. Gentou-san finally chuckled, shaking his head as he stated, "I'm sorry, Amamiya-kun. I just wanted to see what sort of conclusion you would think of, and I can tell what you are thinking right now."

Ren was probably looking red as an apple at this point, keeping his eyes at the ground. He nearly jumped from where he stood when he saw Gentou-san's face appearing before him, having bent down to match his avoiding gaze. Despite the sudden closeness, Ren stood in place and stared back with little confidence. His red ears and cheeks weren't helping, given that Gentou-san looked extremely amused. If only he was in the Metaverse, he could easily stare down this man. He could feel the temptation to rip off his glasses like it was his mask, hoping Arsene or one of the other persona he collected would appear.

The older man just continued to smile before standing up straight and heading towards the turnstiles. "I hope you'll be free next weekend, Amamiya-kun," he called back at him.

The teenager was left standing dumbfounded as he felt a swelling sensation in his chest.


	4. Castle of Lust Aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The news of Kamoshida’s change of heart spread along with murmurs of beings of justice having been the culprits.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is honestly a filler, a sort of what is happening on each of their ends while the whole gap between Palaces is happening and when they aren’t meeting with Ren :B
> 
> That and I kind of already wrote the other chapters, but I wanted to have this out first :D
> 
> Thank you those who have read this so far and I hope you enjoy!

**_5/2/XX - Lunch Period_**

The third-year had asked people around for their whereabouts, but many didn't seem to know where they were. Kira had become a bit anxious, wondering if they had simply left school after the news broke out. Many of the people in the volleyball club seemed to isolate themselves from the prying eyes that grew since Kamoshida confessed.

He had an inkling that the rumors were more than just that, but his friends had inclined to keep him at an arms-length distance whenever they were brought up. Plus, the fact that they would be covered in bruises should have been enough for him to say something, yet he didn't.

After a while, he finally found the two he had been looking for this whole break.

"Sota! Teru!"

Kira had searched all over the school, but he was able to find his friends just stepping out of the nurse's office. He was barely catching his breath, panting as he looked at his two friends. They wore a look of shame on their faces and the bruises that were now confirmed to be abuse.

Despite having finally found them, the blonde was at a loss of words. Kira wasn't sure what he could even say at this point.

Here he was, standing in front of his two friends who he had grown close to in the past two years before he bowed his head. 

"I'm sorry! I should have been a better friend and saw what was happening!"

He kept form steady, his head not raised as he waited for a response. When nothing came, Kira thought they had left him there, walking away to deal with whatever will happen now that they had no coach for their team.

What he didn't expect was the two of them to practically tackle-hug him into the ground. Those present as onlookers were in a bit shock, some whispering while others edged away from the commotion. He could hear his friends holding back their tears, sniffling before Sora finally sobbed into his shoulder.

Kira smiled softly, hugging them both as they exchanged their apologies to each other.

A second-year with unkempt black hair climbed up the stairs, glancing around before he spotted the trio in an embrace. Behind a pair of glasses reflecting the sun's rays, the boy smiled with content before heading back down the way he came.

-+-+-+-

_**5/2/XX - After School**_

_"Should have figured someone like him would have been doing that kind of shit."_

_" This is seriously surprising. The coach seemed such a modest man."_

_" Guess even Olympic medalists are prone to being rapists."_

The murmurs from the onlookers were hard to ignore, but he focused on the task at hand. It had been almost a month since he arrived in the Kanto region, having finished his police training during his senior year and working on the field. Haku stood near the passenger door, holding it open while the officer led the suspect in handcuffs. His eyes glanced at the high school's insignia, the one that was worn on Ren's jacket the day he had seen him. 

He had been wondering about the boy for a while, ever since they briefly met again. He remembered seeing the distant look in his eyes, an expression that was the opposite of the ecstatic personality he had grown to admire.

Why exactly was Ren attending Shujin Academy? He knew that Ren excelled in his studies and subjects, so he shouldn't be too surprised, but he never mentioned transferring schools. Was it sudden? What happened? And had he been a victim of Kamoshida's? 

Haku glared at the suspect, seeing him visibly flinch beneath his gaze while mumbling incoherent apologies. The thought of Ren being a possible victim, didn't sit right with him. Irrational thoughts filled his head, telling him that if this were true, he should have done something. He should have spoken to him more that day instead of letting him leave.

He shut the door closed, nodding to his fellow officer as he looked back up towards the school's steps. Some of the students were staring out from the window, looking down at them with curiosity. 

Golden eyes glanced around the faces, trying to find the familiar silver-colored ones hidden behind glasses. After a while, Haku heard his name being called out, telling him to get into the car.

He had failed to see those eyes he wanted to see step from behind a pair of blondes who were watching intently at the police car driving off. The trio gave each other a small nod before slipping behind the curious students who pushed into their place.

-+-+-+-

_**5/5/XX - Daytime**_

It was part of building connections with the political world, especially with those who would help him make the investment company he had been building. Those he was eating with were eager to back him, especially since he was being claimed as a prodigy CEO at a young age. Still, Huarai Financial Group needed to grow before building the city to a prominent status like the Kanto region.

At least the conversation wasn’t a total waste. Zen knew that he wasn’t going to enlist these people’s help to help Yoshida-san get back into the political scene. He owed the old man a lot for his involvement in building up his company, mostly in learning how to speak charismatically. Although Zen has been told, he still needs to work on his people’s skills.

Nonetheless, he was waiting for the elevator to come down from the bathroom and a few other people.

He noticed two teenagers standing in the front, conversing with one another as the blond seemed too excited to return upstairs. He also noticed that the dark-haired teenager’s bag moved slightly as a pair of fluffy ears popped up. The blond quickly placed his hand on them, shoving whatever had attempted to slip out.

Zen shook his head and moved to join the moving crowd when suddenly a group of bodyguards surrounding two men pushed in front of them all. He recognized the rising politician Masayoshi Shido. He had moved to give them birth when he felt one of the teens fall back against him. He was able to stand straight from the immediate contact as he looked down at the black-haired teen. 

The boy gave a murmur of an apology while looking like he was in a bit of pain. He watched him hold his head while his blond friend spoke up in dismay of the group stepping in front of them.

” _That voice..._ ” 

Zen heard the boy murmur as the blond continued to look like he was going to pick a fight. Still, Shido’s entourage ignored the loud teenager as they stepped inside, taking the whole elevator as it closed up. Finally, the blond had turned to his friend as he asked for his well-being.

The CEO moved away from them, deciding to head towards another elevator that had just reached their floor. As he entered in with others, he glanced back at the duo. The black-haired teenager seemed to regain his composure as their eyes matched for a brief moment. 

-+-+-+-

_**5/7/XX - After School** _

Simon rechecked his phone, making sure he got the information right. It was supposed to be a small meet-up for him and his old classmates from Tohaku University that were present in Shibuya. Although he attends United Nations University and they met mostly through mutual colleagues, he had been in touch with Tae since she and the other attendant graduated after he had entered. It had been a few years since he had heard from Takuto. He was one of the few people he considered close, especially with who was in his inner circle these days.

”I’m a bit surprised,” he heard Tae comment beside him, looking at the list of names on her own phone. “You would think that he’d still be living in Sendai after graduating.”

”We all did find work here in Kanto,” Simon stated with slight amusement.

They both looked up when they saw someone running towards them, panting tirelessly once the man stopped in front of them.

”Am... I... late?”

As the man lifted his head, Simon smiled as he saw the familiar face of Maruki Takuto. He still had that messy brown hair and glasses. 

“You are, but there was no need for you to sprint all the way here,” Simon chuckled while Tae added in an equally-amused tone.

”You worry too much, Takuto.”

As he watched his seniors converse for a bit, Simon noticed near the terminal entrance into a familiar unkempt black-haired teenager. He was leaning against the wall along with two other individuals, both blonde. Despite it looking like any other hangout, he couldn’t help but stare at them expectantly. What were they doing? Were they simply sitting around to plan out their evening like he and his old classmates were?

Speaking of which, he felt a soft nudge on his shoulder. Turning, he stared into the spectacles of Takuto, who urged, “Hey, we should get going. That one restaurant gets packed really quickly at this time of the day.”

”And who’s fault is that?” Simon replied, turning to follow them. “Did you really run from... where do you work now?”

As Tae and Simon listened about Takuto’s new job, Simon wasn’t able to catch watching Ren slowly fade away along with his friends. No one else seemed to bother with the strange event, focusing on more prominent things on their mind.


	5. Two Cups & Wands

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Kamoshida confessing to his crimes and the expulsion news dying away, Ren found a thankful reprieve from the Metaverse dangers. 
> 
> On a Sunday afternoon, Kira calls him for a hangout that turns into something else while Gentou-san takes him out again afterwards in the evening.
> 
> If only he could get a day that wasn’t filled with so much emotions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was unintentionally long because I wanted to write one day of the rank ups with these two. The next chapter will definitely have Victor (Zen) getting his dealio while Gavin (Haku) will have his a bit later because STORY REASONS :D
> 
> Also I went back a little bit to fix a few things because I realized Simon (Lucien) is supposed to be 21 at this time so he's still technically going through schooling though he is a prodigy :B So he's attending a local university :D
> 
> Please enjoy!

_**5/8/XX** _ _**\- Morning** _

With a long stretch, Ren let out a satisfied groan once he relaxed himself. It had been awhile since he had a good night’s sleep since his arrival to the metropolitan area. Rubbing the back of his neck as he let out a yawn, he saw Morgana was doing his own stretches as well.

”Good dream?” Ren asked his feline friend who just smiled gleefully.

”Yep! I dreamed of fatty tuna,” he exclaimed in return.

Morgana was still thinking about the buffet celebration they had a few days ago. It was a great place to eat, but Ren did wish they didn’t have so much. He still feels so stuffed from thinking about how much they ate that day. That and running into... 

He shook his head, frowning at the memory. Today was supposed to become a good day for him, one of relaxation. 

The teenager quickly grabbed his phone, checking to see what he could do. Most of what he could think of would be happening in Shibuya, especially trying to see a movie or even going to the arcade if Ryuji was free.

As he searched, he heard the familiar chime of his messenger alerts. Swiping to that application, he saw that it was a new message from Kira.

_**Kira: Hey! You free today?** _

_**Kira: I wanted to check out Kichijoji** _

_**Kira: Have you been there yet?** _

Ren had heard of the area, something almost akin to Shibuya but minus the big crosswalk. He pondered for a moment, checking his other messages just in case. Seeing that Ryuji and Ann were busy, he replied bacK

_**Ren: I’m free. Where do you want to meet?** _

A few minutes passed, giving him a chance to change into outing clothes as the phone chimed with a new message:

_**Kira: Sweet!** _

_**Kira: Meet me at Shibuya Station at around 0900.** _

With that, he pocketed his phone and grabbed his bag, heading downstairs to grab something quick to eat.

-+-+-+-

_**5/8/XX - Daytime** _

Sundays were always busy, but he was able to deal with the crowds. Thankfully, it was uneventful, aside from the news spreading about Kamoshida’s abuse and harassment. It was surprising to hear about it this many days after it had happened, but given that it was about an ex-Olympic winner, Ren should have known the news would speak about this and the Phantom Thieves.

Reaching the underground walkway, he reached to where there was a long bridge that connected over the street. He spotted the blond upperclassman talking to a suited man. As he approached them, the suit-wearing man simply bowed his head to Kira before handing him a card and heading on his way.

”Oh, Amamiya-kun!” Kira greeted, pocketing the card away. “Glad you made it in time.”

”Yeah, I thought I was going to be late,” he softly apologized before asking. “Who was that?”

”Him?” Kira glanced back at the man he had just been conversing with. “A talent agent.”

Ren watched Kira laugh a little from his reaction to that answer, which was a tilt of his head in confusion.

”Since I’ve moved to Tokyo a few years back, people have been trying to scout me for a while,” Kira explained. “They keep saying I ‘exude a charismatic aura.’”

The blonde laughed at his own statement, walking with Ren towards the line they needed to take. Ren heard more about Kira’s experiences with talent agents on the ride there. It sounded something out of like a manga or a drama he had watched where a male lead would get scouted for his looks. Then again, Ren could admit that Kira had an admiring face and presence.

It’s probably why he was able to easily converse with him when they first met.

They soon entered the archway of Kichijoji, the colorful ambiance matched the ecstatic look on Kira’s face as Ren felt himself getting practically dragged along. They checked a few stores and even ordered some spicy meat buns from the Chinese stand in the alleyway. After a while, they soon reached the darts and billiards building as Kira announced, “Hey! Let’s go play a few games.”

Upon entering inside, he saw that there were a couple of other teens playing as well. They were able to procure a dartboard for their use for a few one on one games. As they were in the fourth round, Kira whistled and remarked, “Talk about clutch. You sure know how to make this game dangerous, Amamiya-kun.”

Ren almost smirked, leaning more towards to smiling and fixing the frames of his glasses. He could feel his Joker personality wanting to spring out and flourish in front of Kira, who took the three darts to turn.

The blonde continued to talk, “I used to do this a lot with my teacher. He’d take me out to places like these, and we’d play together.”

The first dart hit the center, embedding itself just a little above the small circle. Ren watched in silence as Kira continued, throwing another dart. "Maybe sometime we can hang out all together. It'll be fun with more people."

Once the last dart landed on its mark, Ren was surprised that he did a complete Hat Trick. Each of the darts was collected together on the board. As he walked passed Kira to grab the darts of his turn, he heard Kira sigh and admit, "That would be something I would say, but he's been gone for some time."

"I'm... sorry," Ren apologized, hands gripping tightly around the darts.

"No, it's fine... and it's your turn," Kira urged, smiling brightly as he usually did. Though, Ren could see that the shine was a bit duller.

After a few games, they had come out with Kira being the victor by one game. Heading out, Kira stretched his arms over his head as he asked while checking his phone, "I think we have a few more hours unless you have made other plans."

When Ren shook his head, Kira was about to suggest something when his phone started to ring. He clicked the answer button, listening to the caller. As he conversed with the person on the call, Ren watched as his senpai's face was slowly giving him an apologetic look. After a while, Kira stated, “I’m not sure if you’re expecting me to do this on my own. You said the shoot was for...”

Ren watched his face suddenly light up like a thought came to his mind while his teal eyes fell back on him.

A mischievous smirk appeared on his senpai’s face as Kira relayed to the caller, “Actually, I have a plan. Hear me out.”

-+-+-+-

_**5/8/XX - Daytime** _

”So that guy from earlier was actually your agent?” Ren summarized as they left the train, reaching Shibuya.

”Yeah, he gave me a card of a client that wanted to have me model, but I had told him unless they couldn’t find anyone else, I wasn’t going to go,” Kira confessed. “I wanted to take a break since I always spend my weekends like that.”

”And you told them I was going to help you since they couldn’t find another model.”

Once again, that mischievous smile returned as Kira explained, “Come on, it’ll be fun! And if anything, you’ll get some free clothes out of it. That’s what they usually do whenever I model for them.”

”I’m not so sure about this,” Ren frowned. “You’re putting a lot of faith in someone you had only started hanging out recently.”

”Have a little confidence in yourself, Amamiya-kun!”

They had reached the SHIBUYA 109 building, waiting at the entrance as Ren continued to feel apprehensive about the plans' change. The whole point of being a Phantom Thief was to remain incognito in real life, as agreed upon by everyone else.

As if sensing his apprehension, Kira stood in front of him and tapped his chin. His teal eyes looked him up and down as he reached out to take his glasses off. Placing them in the black-haired teen’s bag pocket, he then combed his fingers through his hair.

”What... what are you doing?” Ren stammered, feeling his face becoming a bit warm from the touching and close proximity. 

Kira didn’t answer after awhile before he finally stepped back and smiled with a triumphant look. He then took out his phone, turning on the camera mode as he relayed, “Ta-dah!”

Looking at the phone’s screen, Ren saw that his hair was parted on the right side. It was combed to the side as some of his bangs were resting over his left eye. Without his glasses, he looked almost more like his Joker personality in the Metaverse.

“If anyone asks, you can just put your glasses on, and they won’t know the difference,” Kira remarked. “It’s like being Superman!”

”Guess if this Phantom Thief business fails, you can probably try to disguise yourself as a model,” Morgana had mentioned before, making him visibly grimace. 

Ren was standing alongside with Kira as the two were dressed in what he was told would be the fashion of the upcoming summer season. He could feel Morgana glaring from his bag since this was the opposite of being incognito. Thankfully, Kira convinced the designer to let him wear sunglasses and even stylized his hair so Ren wouldn’t be recognizable. Someone had made an off-handed comment that he now looked like a younger Gackt.

As pictures were taken, Ren was told to look anywhere besides the camera as the focus was on Kira. He didn’t mind it, though Kira seemed to insist that he should be in front of some shots. Some of the poses were interesting, a few Ren found himself trying to relax. There was one where Kira rested his arm on his shoulder, leaning on him while he smiled confidentially at the camera. He tried to match that the best he could.

This seemed to be the ongoing theme as they continued taking photos in the department store's open area. It was well close to evening time when they finally called it.

Ren sighed in relief, putting on his eyeglasses so he could stop squinting at the blur figures that had been in the distance. The only visible person had been Kira because they were standing beside each other the entire time.

”Thank you for your hard work today,” Kira’s agent spoke to both of them, each bowing in respect to each other. “I’ll make sure that they don’t show your face in the finalized products.”

”I really think you should let them, Amamiya-kun,” Kira commented. 

“Um... maybe, I'll think about it."

The swelling feeling in his chest was strong, making Ren feel more connected with his senpai. Kira made a motion like he won something before asking, "You got any plans tonight? I mean, if you do, I'll catch you later, but it's been a fun day so far!"

Ren smiled, eager to continue hanging out with Kira. As he opened his mouth to accept the invitation, he felt a hand grasp his shoulder tightly. It was more on the strength of getting his attention than anything, but it did make him wince in surprise. Looking over, he saw the familiar smiling face of Gentou-san who greeted, "Ah, Amamiya-kun, there you are."

The black-haired teenager's face was frozen in shock, looking up at the man. His glasses were shone, blocking his wide eyes for others to see besides the older man. Gentou-san was dressed in a black suit like he was going or coming from a formal event. He smiled his usual smile as he continued. "I thought you forgot about tonight."

Despite his bland expression, Ren was annoyed that Gentou-san was butting into his day. Plus, he'd rather hang out with his senpai than the suspicious customer of Leblanc. He was still put off by the "date" he was pulled into if it could even be called out. 

The teenager turned to urge Kira that they should leave when his senpai's phone went off. As he answered it, Ren could already tell that any hope of getting away from Gentou-san will diminish.

-+-+-+-

 _**5/8/XX -** _ **Evening**

Kira had another job tonight, an event he had to attend back in Kichijoji, so he was left now with the older man again.

”You seem rather displeased,” Gentou teased the teenager. “Were you on a date with that young man?”

The answer to his question was just a glare before Ren asked, “What do you want?”

He wasn’t sure if the older man was feigning shock or an actual surprise reaction. Gentou then asked in return, “Were you that off-put by what happened last week?”

Was he put off? Ren did mentally admit that it was surprising that the outing was considered a date to the older, but he didn’t feel like it was unwelcome. It was a kind gesture. He wondered for a brief moment why he was in such a bad mood until he realized it. He really wanted to hang with Kira for the whole day.

As if reading his mind, Gentou remarked, “I’m sure Sojiro-san will be glad that you aren’t getting into trouble, especially with a man like that being your friend.”

"Are you watching me for him?" Ren blurted out again, this time not feeling that he should have watched his words. 

Shaking his head, Simon answered, "I'm simply remarking about your relationships. It's interesting as I remember seeing you looked depressed. I'm glad that he took you under your wing."

Ren felt startled by this news. Did he say that he had been the one to suggest Sojiro taking him in?

"You... know my parents?"

The older man nodded before moving to stand beside Ren. Simon held out his hand behind him, urging the teenager to walk with him through Shibuya. They went to the diner, eating their meal there while the conversation mostly focused on his father and Simon's relationship. He did remember Sojiro mentioning that, but he didn't think it would have been this man.

"Your father is a colleague of mine. He sometimes visited last year to get information about stories and tales for his show."

It was odd hearing about his father, especially out this far from home. Sure, his show was popular, but it was more of an obscure segment in the late hours. He would only watch the latest episode online, watching him still going after the stories of those who had special powers.   
"Is that why you bought me all those things last weekend?" 

"Your father had asked for me to buy you some nick-knacks since you usually collected such back home."

Indeed, Ren had used to do such back when he traveled with his father. During those trips where he would gather information about people with powers, or Evolvers as the show had called them, Ren would go to a local shop and buy something that he never saw in the ones back at home. His younger self would then place them around his room and shelves, each holding a memory of each trip. Those memories turned sour after the conviction as he didn't want to take them with him. In fact, he remembered angrily, throwing them away as he felt his parents were doing the same to him. Now, thinking about it, it was rather childish of him to have done such a thing.

"I know I'm a stranger to you, Amamiya-kun," Simon spoke up, taking Ren's attention away from the straw he had been using to stir his drink for the past five minutes. "But, I am indeed here to help you. That is what I promised your father."

"Then why did you ask me such a thing that night?" Ren asked though he could feel his cheeks warm back at the memory. "Plus, aren't you doing something dangerous with a teenager?"

Simon smiled before chuckling softly. "Sorry, that's just me having a bit of fun."

With the confused look on Ren's face, Simon explained, "I'm a neuroscientist, so my studies usually lean towards matters involving the mind and how it reacts to things. I tend to test people on how they react to something, mostly on what they would assume a situation would be like."

Leaning back in his seat, the man added. "I wanted to see what you would come up within a situation like that, and it was rather amusing. And we aren't that far apart in age. I'm 21 years old, just getting through my bachelor's degree."

"That's not very nice," Ren muttered.

"Yes, it may not be, but I do make it my true intentions known," Simon replied. "It just took a week as I have been busy with my own classes as finals had just passed."

After it being mentioned, Ren was reminded that he had his own tests coming up this week. He had been studying with Ann and Ryuji, but he still felt that he could do more.

"Do you need help with your studies?" Simon inquired, clearly reading his mind if he had such powers. Did he? Maybe the reason his father had known him was that Simon was an Evolver too.

Ren mentally shook the thought away. Despite the Metaverse and all that happened, he wasn't going to toy with such a fantasy. The teenager replied, "No, it's alright. I can just finish studying during the week."

Simon held out his hand, palm facing upwards as if he was waiting for the young man to hand something over.

The two sat in silence for a moment before Ren sighed and relented. He took out his notebook from his bag, just in case the others were going to ask him to study. The rest of the night until his curfew had been mostly Simon helping him figure out the correct answers in the math portion while also obtaining a few tricks on getting context clues to answer the English part.

He didn't miss the intense swelling sensation in his chest once the late tutor session was done, but he only gave Simon a nod of thanks before they went their separate ways. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I guess people may be confused on what exactly does the Minor Arcana give Ren. So far:  
> \- Kira's Confidant is focused on helping Ren gain more confidence in himself, mostly through helping him in his celebrity work.  
> \- Simon's Confidant will be focused on rebuilding his relationship with his family while also being a bit of a test subject to certain scenarios that Simon creates.
> 
> What do they get out of it? I mean, that's more on the Mr. Love side of things if you really wanna know :D
> 
> In any case, I hope you enjoyed the chapter! I'm working on completing the next one so that should be up sooner than this did.


	6. Ace of Coins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Up keeping their gear for their ventures in Mementos was costing him. That and with the new Shadows they were meeting both in Madarame's Palace and Mementos, Morgana urged Ren to apply for a specific job to get close to someone who could be a potential ally. 
> 
> Who knew that he was going to meet a person like him as a Confidant...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I went back and rewritten a few parts in the previous chapters due to continuity while also reworked Gentou's (Lucien's) chapter since at the time, I wasn't really pleased with how the chapter went. I realized what I wanted to do for his social link afterwards. In any case, if you wish, please reread them before reading this chapter. Thank you and enjoy!~

_**5/20/XX - Evening** _

Working in a popular beef bowl diner would be taxing, but Ren didn’t think he would have done this job by himself. When the manager had due to the restaurant lacking servers, Ren should have figured that had been an understatement. Although there was another employee working tonight, it was still ridiculous to get everyone’s order right and get them out on time.

Once the final order was given, Ren washed his hands to calm down the adrenaline rush he had just gone through. Despite the other employee commenting on how his ringtone needed to stop being assorted cat noises, Morgana was of great help. Thankfully, they didn’t find out that he had an actual cat in his bag.

There were only two men left in his serving area who were conversing with one another. One of them was the man he had been trying to make contact with. He had seen him giving speeches in the station square ever since his arrival into town. Morgana had mentioned how if they were able to get the speech skills he had, they might convince Shadows to avoid confrontations. He could even convince them to join him just like that Pixie had done awhile back.

The other was much younger, sipping his drink while the older man spoke to him about the country’s current problems. To be honest, the elder had made many good points, mostly associated with his own self, but he remained silent and focused on cleaning his hands.

Ren moved over to the counters beside them once that was done, picking up the bowls that were eaten thoroughly. Stacking them on top of each other swiftly and carefully, he barely caught the older man comment, “You appeared to have a difficult time there.”

Any other time, Ren would admit that working in this sort of setting was indeed taxing. However, that wasn’t what the customer service lessons had told him to do. He just gave the customer service smile, appearing that he didn’t mind.

”Can’t you ask your manager to hire more people? You looked extremely busy,” the man inquired, his companion now focused more on what he had left in front of him. What the elder had to say really stuck with Ren, which surprised him since he only partially listened to what had been said. These were the skills of a politician, one who was well-versed in giving charismatic talks. Morgana was right about this guy. 

The reason why his attention was split, however, was due to the man beside the politician. Ren wasn’t sure why but he looked familiar. He couldn’t his finger on it, but he felt he saw him before. The other thing was that the teenager noticed that the man was observing him carefully. It was the kind of gaze one would regard someone if they were trouble. He had similar raven-black hair that was lightly brushed past sharply arched eyebrows that framed a pair of violet eyes. Did he unconsciously give off such a vibe? Ren frowned at the thought that the school’s rumors were now affecting his appearance outside of the campus.

Nonetheless, the fact that he made contact with the politician should let him get a bit closer to get lessons on speech-giving skills.

It wasn’t long before the two older men left, paying for their meal, and bidding him farewell. Ren bowed his head, saying the usual farewell before he started to clean up their leftovers. After changing into his casual clothes and getting his pay, Ren stepped outside. The time on his phone read that it was almost midnight. He’ll catch the last few trains to get home, and hopefully get a few minutes of shut-eye before he can sleep in his bed.

Walking down the brightly-lit but the not-so-crowded street, he spotted Ryuji just stepping into Central Street. He looked as equally as tired, but the two teens gave a knowing smile to each other. This meant that at least the calling card has been placed, and they would be confronting Madarame tomorrow. He felt the soft poke from Morgana’s paw as he warned, “Hey, you better get moving before Sakura-san scolds you.”

”Right,” Ren responded in mild amusement, turning away and heading towards the station.

He didn’t notice a man stepping out from the alleyway, watching him depart before heading after the blond Shujin student.

-+-+-+-

_**5/23/XX - Evening** _

The fight against Madarame’s shadow had been brutal. He could still feel the bruises hindering his movement whenever he would bend or step the wrong way. However, he needed to make contact today. If Ren skipped another weekend, he felt that the man’s memory of him would fade away. The thought of working more hours at the beef bowl restaurant wasn’t tantalizing enough for him to delay this meeting further. Thankfully, the night had gone as well as he had hoped. He had approached Yoshida Toranosuke, the politician who would teach him the social skills that will help him in his Phantom Thief endeavors.

During the elder’s speech, the teenager had noticed some came to chastise him or just walked away in indifference once he was done. Even though he kept up a face, the old man was kind but an insecure individual whenever someone called him that nickname. Despite that, those who actually listened did so intently and took in his words with care. He knew he did while standing beside him while holding the sign. Although their deal was set, he really did wish to help Yoshida-san the best he can. That would mean his Sunday evenings were going to be a bit busy. He should probably message Gentou-san about that, given that he had promised him that he would give that time for their hangouts.

As he helped Yoshida-san pack his things, he heard the politician call out in a direction, “Ah! Li-san, I’m surprised to see you here.”

The teenager stood up, holding the box that had the sign and megaphone. He looked to see who the politician was greeting, seeing the same man from before. The violet orbs regarded Yoshida-san briefly before giving a brief piercing glare towards Ren’s direction. He couldn’t help but involuntarily flinch at a glance, one that seemed to disappear as quickly as it came.

“Wow, I saw that.” Morgana commented while peeking over his shoulder. The cat leered at the two men, specifically the one who had given him the glare. “You have a strange track record with older men these days.”

The cat had remarked in amusement to which Ren subtlety retaliated by rolling his shoulders, causing the cat to fall back into the bag. While Morgana was spouting obscenities and disrespectful claims, Ren saw Yoshida was approaching him with the man in tow. 

“Amamiya-san, I would like to introduce you to a colleague of mine,” Yoshida began before letting the two stand face to face. “This is Li Zen. He’s been helping me with my campaign.”

Ren watched the man bow his head briefly before greeting him, “Greetings, Amamiya-san.”

As the teenager bowed his head in greeting, Ren wasn’t ignorant of the glower from Li-san. Was this guy a politician like Yoshida-san? Though, he couldn’t help but feel like he had met the man before the beef bowl restaurant incident. He watched the raven-haired man gesture to Yoshida, relaying that he’ll help him get a ride home. Yoshida urged him to follow, which was a mote point given that he was holding the elder’s tools. As they walked, he noticed that Li-san was still watching him despite being in front of him.

Ren began to ponder on why this man was familiar. Had he bumped into him before in the station? That didn’t seem to be it as anyone of note was people he had gotten to know rather quickly. That’s what the twins in the Velvet Room had urged him to do. It has been helping him with the Phantom Thieves’ endeavors and also his personal life. His thoughts halted as he nearly bumped into Li-san’s back, seeing that they had reached the side of the road where taxis were picking up anyone who requested them. Ren handed the box to Yoshida after he got into the sedan as the elder stated, “Thank you again, both of you.”

-+-+-+-

After closing the door for Yoshida-san, Zen watched the car depart. The teenage boy had bowed his head, probably trying to keep his appearance as a respectful adolescent. Once the boy stood up straight, Zen watched him turn towards him to give a bow. The adult gave him a pensive look before stating, "Do you really think I'll buy the idea that you are simply getting speech-speaking lessons from Yoshida-san?"

The teen's body flinched at the statement as silver eyes looked up at him with a confused expression. Was this kid pretending to be innocent? Sure, he might be pushing this, but with how things have been with other politicians dropping out of the race against Shido or siding with the new United Future party, he had to be sure that this wasn't a ploy for them to take Yoshida out. The boy continued to look incredibly confused as Zen decided to reword his probing, "How about this? What do you intend to do as Yoshida-san's 'student'?"

It finally clicked in Amamiya-san's mind as the teen stated, "What... I have an interest in politics and wanted to learn how to give speeches! Is it so hard to believe something simple?"

"If you heard yourself, you'd realize how ridiculous that sounds," Zen stated, his stance relaxing despite his words giving off the opposite. "And don't think I don't know you've been trying to get close to him just only recently. You've only been working in that beef bowl shop for about two weeks."

His eyes trained on watching the young man's movements. Even though he may be denying it, Zen was sure that the boy's motives were anything from becoming a well-versed orator. He also noticed that the boy's bag seemed to move unnaturally on his shoulder. The temptation to grab it was strong, but the boy might simply cry out assault if he did.

"A-and? Maybe I just want to get out of that line of work after seeing him speak about his ideals," the boy retorted. Although his eyeglasses glazed over silver orbs, Zen noted that the young man had glanced over his shoulder. Was someone nearby watching them?

Zen didn't have many options now that the possibility of someone spying on them had arisen. The crowd could easily cover them, but given what rumors he heard concerning the mental breakdowns, it would be dangerous for them to be here. Plus, he needed to confirm something about the boy. What better time was it other than now.

As if to answer his suspicions, Zen caught sight of two individuals who were dressing a bit too inconspicuously. He could tell they were watching him, mostly since he had seen the same duo since he had left the National Diet Building an hour ago. He gritted his teeth before grabbing Amamiya-san's wrist. The teenager was about to struggle before he was yanked towards his chest. Zen then concentrated on capturing that invisible pulsating heartbeat of the world. Once he felt a firm, mental grasp of it, time slowly came to a stop.

The teenager was struggling in his grasp, almost ready to punch him when he too noticed the world had gone into a complete standstill. With the boy's struggles halted, Zen dragged him along and away from Central Station. He glanced back to check on the two and saw they were frozen in place, one of them having reached into his jacket when it became clear what he was going to do. At least they weren't Evolvers, or else this would be more problematic than it should have been. 

It would be a couple of minutes before he felt the boy try to struggle out of his grip again. Zen tightened his grasp before yanking him towards him. He leaned forward, glaring down at him as he relayed, "If I let go, you'll be frozen in time like everyone else. If you want to get left behind to deal with those men, then I can just leave you right now."

"I don't even know what's going on!" Amamiya-san snapped up at him before looking at his surroundings. "How... how is everything frozen?"

The man wondered for a moment if this boy has ever met an Evolver or experienced their powers. Although that show premiered online a couple years back, very few actually believed in the idea that there were people who had superpowers like those in graphic novels. It was all just superstition and fantasy to the rest of the populace. That meant that Zen had once again jumped the gun. Yoshida had complimented him for his straight-forward attitude, but it also got him into trouble whenever he jumped to conclusions without assessing the situation thoroughly. That also meant he just exposed himself to someone who was probably just wanting to take speech lessons from his colleague. Still, if the boy was going to pursue such a path, he would become a target simply because of association. 

It might be best to come clean instead of making up something on the fly. Zen barely caught a few muttered words from the younger man like "Metaverse" and "mementos". He also noticed Amamiya-san was glancing back at the bag on his shoulder that was moving abnormally once again. Curiosity got to him as he reached for the bag's zipper, pulling it forward as a furry head popped out.

The black cat with a white snout mewled in surprise, staring up at him with blue eyes. It then hissed at him though he wasn't phased by this. Zen could only guess that the cat could move in this space because it was, in all pretense and purposes, attached to him like Amamiya-san was.

"You drag your cat around everywhere?" Zen blurted out with a bit of amusement. 

"He... doesn't like being stuck at home," Amamiya answered before matching gazes with him. "What's going on?"

-+-+-+-

After about thirty minutes passed before Ren could finally get a word in. He hadn't expected Li-san to give him all this information, specifically about the new political party formed by the rising politician known as Masayoshi Shido. Still, this confirmed their suspicions that something out there had been backing both Kamoshida and Madarame in their activities.

"So you were worried I was working for them by pretending to want lessons from Yoshida-san," the teenager spoke out of the older's assumption. The hum he got was an explicit confirmation to which Ren couldn't really admonish him for it. If the shoe was on the other foot, he would have been as distrustful as he was. 

However, what was bothering him more was that the man was still having a firm hold of his wrists while they were standing before each other. The people around them had resumed their activities along with the sounds of the bustling metropolis. They were also getting a few occasional glances from those who spotted their joined contact. 

"Can... I get my arm back?"

It wasn't immediate. In fact, Ren noted that the man hesitated before he finally let go of his arm. There wasn't any pain, thankfully. He didn't want to have another bruise that he'll have to explain to Takemi-san during the next clinical trial. He also didn't want her to add anything "special" into the mix, since that seemed to be the theme whenever she found him with injuries.

"You should find someone else to teach you," he heard the older man warn him. "You'll cause more trouble if you get caught up in this mess."

Almost immediately, Ren retorted, "No! If Yoshida-san is in trouble, then I should help him even more! I won't regret it, never again!"

He may have spoken too much, but the thought of leaving someone to suffer disgusted him. Even with the consequences of his actions months ago, he still didn't regret helping that woman. He will not step away or stand idly by if there is someone he can help, even if it costs him again. An old part of him wanted to shrink away from the other's pensive gaze, but he could not falter here. His eyes never broke sight on Li-san, mostly because if he turned his gaze away, it'd be like stepping away.

Ren relaxed just a tad bit when Li-san turned his gaze away first. Then he heard him say, "You're either a confident idiot or just stubborn idiot."

"I-idiot?" Ren stammered out. Sure, he had heard that term a few times, but it oddly stung more coming from him.

"If I see you next weekend with Yoshida, then know you just dug your own grave."

With that, Ren watched him walk back towards Shibuya and left him alone with Morgana. He let out a breath of relief once he was sure he wasn't close enough for him to hear him say, "Guess this guy's an Evolver..."

"You talking about that one show?" Morgana asked curiously. Ren hummed to confirm his inquiry to which Morgana stated. "Well, wherever he took us, that wasn't the Metaverse. If it was, I'm sure he would have heard me cursing him out."

"That wasn't gentleman-like of you, Morgana," Ren joked, getting a paw to his cheek while Morgana admonished him for it. It was only then he registered the fading feeling of the familiar swelling his chest. He groaned, realizing what this meant and muttered, "Why with a person like him?"

"What?"

"Nothing," Ren sighed before heading towards the nearest terminal. It was already close to midnight, and he had to get back home to sleep. Tonight felt longer than it should have been.


	7. Museum of Vanity Aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Phantom Thieves succeed in another change of heart. The city is buzzing with interest in this group, whether good or bad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I'm trying to figure out how many chapters this will actually be. I do want to be able to finish this while I have the muse for it (which I have a lot but work recently kicked the energy out of me along with some personal stuff happening). In any case, I do have a timeline/plot idea to have everything go by, though certain things that happen in more of the future aka MLQC's timeline may pop in here.
> 
> Prepare to see everyone's perspectives along with a bit of personal stuff happening to Ren :3
> 
> Enjoy! (might go back and edit this because I basically finished this at like 3 AM in the morning)

_**6/5/XX - Daytime** _

When he thought about seeing Amamiya again, he didn’t expect this to be how it would go. Ever since leaving their hometown in February, everything felt rushed. He assumed it would be years before he would ever hear anything about the boy who had saved him. 

Yet here they stood at opposite sides, standing with the so-called attendance officer and Amamiya with his friends. Of course, the short interrogation was more of a formality. They had to check on those who were in the city and on probation, another thing he had only found about recently. He got in touch with Kanya and was given the lowdown on what had happened a month after leaving. Although there was nothing he could have done, a part of him felt guilty for not being there during the whole incident.

Words were being exchanged, though the girl seemed to be projecting her voice a little too hard. He could feel his face scrunch up with annoyance that they were trying a bit too hard to hide something. Needless to say, if they hadn’t taken this job, he was sure those who did would have pushed harder. It was hard to even tell who was part of the STF or the ASF these days, only trusting the commanding officer that stood beside him and his partner, Eiri.

After a while, Toma motioned for them to leave. Haku took a brief pause to look at the group, namely at Amamiya. The two looked at each other for a moment before he bowed his head in greeting and followed suit. Upon reaching the disguised commanding officer, he heard him whisper, “So that young man... the black-haired one with the black jacket? We’ll need to observe him.”

”Can I ask why, sir?” Haku inquired.

As they reached the corner end of the walkway, Haku glanced back to see Amamiya-san and his friends walking the other way to whatever were their plans for today. He still felt the familiar urge to reach out to him, having mostly relied on Kanya to invite the younger teenager to their hangouts. Thankfully, the boy still had that smile Haku had come to admire. Looking back at his superior for his answer, he was taken back by the amused smirk on his face. It disappeared as quickly as he had seen it before he listened to Toma.

“We’ve been getting reports that Black Swan has been active in this area, or it could be that other faction,” the supposed-attendance officer remarked. “Seeing as that boy’s father is in town, it’s best we keep an eye of people around him that may exhibit powers or person of interests.”

Wait... his father? That’s when he remembered. Amamiya-san’s father was the producer for a show called “Miracle Finder”, a program that focused on supernatural events and tales of people with superpowers. Why was that man here?

-+-+-+-

_**6/6/XX - Early Morning**_

"It seems whoever these Phantom Thieves are reached Madarame before we did," the agent beside him commented, standing with the populace waiting for their turn to get on the subway line Aoyama-Itchome. As the rise of this Phantom Thieves group grew, they needed to gather all the information they could collect about them. Sure, it would have been better to have someone else go, but he needed to be sure this was up and up.

After the calling card had gone out for Madarame's change of heart, the Huarui group should have investigated it immediately. Though the news about ASF's movements doing the same, he had to pull his people back to avoid crossing paths. They were still just seen as a simple rising financial group led by an entrepreneur who was funding several projects and programs across Japan. 

Whoever these Phantom Thieves were, Zen needed to know if they could get them to be allies or just a fake group created by the ASF to lure them out. That had been the discussion between him and his agent as they awaited the train to arrive.

Turning his head and glancing over the people around him, he was a bit surprised to see that Amamiya kid here. Seems the kid was much younger than he thought from the looks of his uniform. He couldn't hear everything, though most of it was his blond friend remarking about his own appearance.

"Huh, didn't expect someone like that would attend Shujin, but ever since that news about the teacher came out..."

Zen droned out the rest of his words as he watched the boy's blond friend realize what he was wearing and rush back up the steps, more than likely to get changed. Amamiya was smiling, chuckling before he turned around towards the tracks. He wasn't sure why he continued to watch the boy, seeing him just standing there before his bag moved to let the cat out. He started to converse with the feline as if it was a full-on conversation.

_"Hmm? Is that your cat? Can I pet him?"_

_"No way, he hates strangers."_

_"No, he doesn't! He didn't say that."_

_"What the? You can't understand cats."_

_"Yes, I can! He said he wanted me to pet him!"_

His face scrunched up at the memory, glaring ahead and resuming focus with his agent about the matters at hand. Why did he remember that? Sure, he was still looking for him, but there were more pressing issues at the moment. He followed the crowd into the subway train, noticing that Amamiya-san lagged behind. Guess he was going to wait for that blond who ran off.

-+-+-+-

_**6/9/XX - Afternoon**_

Simon didn’t expect to step into a TV station for some time, not since he was asked by Hakuto years ago for insight on Miracle Finder. That was partially why he was here again, which surprised him much that Hakuto was even in town. What the man didn’t anticipate was seeing that young detective walking around the station. He had watched him with care as he knew of his association with the Antisocial Force. To think that a young man like him had such abilities almost akin to the Queen, but it was only just similar.

He was able to easily pick him out of the crowd, thanks to his own abilities, but that also had him notice that Amamiya-kun was in the station. This was going to be an exciting event to behold if Hakuto and Amamiya-kun run into each other.  
Speaking of the man, Simon smiled as he usually did upon seeing the father Amamiya approaching him.

“Simon, it’s good to see you are doing well,” the man greeted before they shook hands. They were standing on the set for the short segment to be recorded for tomorrow’s Miracle Finder episode. “Think I can ask you to be part of the panel today?”

“Sorry, but I’m here as a friend of mine wanted my input on some things,” Simon relayed. Hakuto smiled in slight defeat before he asked, “How... how’s Ren?”

The question was one that hung over their heads since the phone calls came at least once a week before this day. Hakuto would always try to ask about his son’s well-being but would never call him himself. Simon had always been irritated by how selective his persevering attitude was, especially when it came to his family matters.

As he pondered on answering the question truthfully or vaguely, he recognized a few Shujin students walking into the stage room. Guess it was that time of the year when schools would have their field trips. It shouldn’t have been a surprise that the TV station was one of them. Still, there was a high probability that Hakuto’s son might be here.

As if on cue, the teenager mentioned above was standing in the back of the group and two blondes. The glasses’ lens shimmered a bit towards his direction, and Simon had to suppress the chuckle that wanted to escape his throat.

For a brief moment, he saw the boy about to wave his hand in greeting. That stopped along with the smile that was frozen on the young man’s face. It was apparent what had caused the room to feel cold for a selective few, a thicker tension than the fog that had rested over that Inaba Province. Simon turned to look at his colleague, seeing the look of worry appearing on his face.

He hadn’t meant for his next words to come off as a mixture of enjoyment and disdain. However, he felt that with all that has happened between the Amamiya family, the patriarch deserved the growing glare on the son’s face.

”Does that answer your question, Hakuto-san?”

-+-+-+-

_**6/9/XX - After School** _

Kira was playing on his phone, making a small arm pump of victory once he beat his personal high-score on the little game. He was on his break from shooting a commercial, and he had a small interview after that. Although the perk was being able to skip a day of school, the blonde teenager honestly would have preferred to attend classes instead of working. If it hadn’t been for the fact that field trips were happening this week, he would have told his agent to decline the jobs.

The blonde found a place to sit, still playing on his phone as the area was overlooking the TV station entrance. A few people were out as the majority of the students had left already. He had been able to catch up with a few, but he had hoped to see Amamiya-kun. He remembered the kouhai mentioned choosing the TV station as his field trip. Hell, he had hoped to catch him to grab some lunch earlier, but that had been reserved to mingle with the commercial crew.

As luck would have it, he spotted the raven-haired teenager stepping out of a hallway further down. Kira kicked himself up to his feet and opened his mouth to call after him when he saw something strange. In fact, this was probably the first time he had ever seen such malice on Ren’s face. The blonde kept silent, watching the teenager probably snarling out his words to whoever it was in the hallway with him. 

“ _I told you that there is nothing to say!_ ”

“ _Ren, please just listen._ ”

The blonde watched Ren take a step back while another man stepped forward. He felt the urge to run over and stop whatever confrontation was happening, but he kept silent and seemed to will himself to remain hidden. 

“ _There’s nothing to listen to! You clearly didn’t want to have to do anything with me! You and mom made that clear after_ ** _you guys dumped me here in Tokyo!_ **”

The next thing he knew, Kira was running back the way he came. He heard too much. That said something given what his other hobby was, but this was rather personal. He wasn’t sure how far he ran until Kira realized he was standing at the studio doorway. The blonde willed his heart to stop beating so quickly from the adrenaline and the shock he experienced.

After a while, he was able to breathe normally. Teal eyes glanced back towards where he had fled from, wondering if he had just done something stupid. A part of him regretted leaving Amamiya-kun like that, but should he really butt into a personal matter like that? He glanced back down at his phone, noticing that a request for a secure chat had been sent to him. He recognized the smiling black orb with a pair of devil horns of the sender.

**_Alibaba: Any new info?_ ** _  
_ **_Helios: They’ve been silent since yesterday_ ** _  
_ **_Alibaba: Probably meeting up at that hideout of their’s_ ** _  
_ **_Helios: I can go sneak off and spy on them if you want :D_ ** _  
_ **_Alibaba: No it’s okay._ ** _  
_ **_Alibaba: I know how busy you can are :3_ ** _  
_ **_Alibaba: We’ll see what happens  
_** **_Helios: Kks I’ll message you later_ ** _  
_ _Alibaba: :P_

With that, he noticed the time and pressed the power button to shut the screen off. He had to go back inside and continue shooting the commercial. He had to focus on his work today. Then he can quickly search more on Amamiya-kun. With this information, he was more determined to find out who this guy was and what led him to come to Tokyo. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, Ren's father has appeared! Why is he in Tokyo? How long is he in town? WHAT IS HAPPENING? ...Well, I know what’s happening but I ain’t telling :D
> 
> Next chapter is finally the start of Haku's Confidant Link :D See you then!


	8. Ace of Swords

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trying to find information on Kaneshiro was proving to be difficult. As the day was coming to a close, Ren didn't expect to get another surprise from his past in the form of a probation officer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for those who left comments :3 It's nice to know people are interested in this crossover!
> 
> I hope you enjoy this one too! Time for Birbcop to enter the fray (FINALLY!) XD
> 
> ALSO I AM FUCKING SCREAMING BECAUSE IT IS PAST FIFTEEN DAYS AND I ONLY POSTED THIS RIGHT NOW! I SORRY EVERYONE! I sorry that this feels a bit rushed, but Haku is too blunt for things atm :3

_**6/16/XX - After School** _

With the blackmail that Makoto had on them, Ren could feel that the blackmail's stress and his father's reemergence into his life getting to him. Morgana gave him a soft pat on his shoulder from his perch, mewling out, "We should head back home so we can figure things out."

Despite the suggestion being practical, Ren didn't want to go back so soon. All the running around had only taken an hour up of his time after school, leaving a good couple of hours left to cool down before returning. Maybe he'll just walk back to Yogenjaya instead of taking the trains. It'll help him clear his head of what has happened in the past couple of days, hopefully.

As he turned to head back into Shibuya's busy central street, he spotted a few police officers starting to walk around. It wasn't a surprise since the scams' rumors were reaching out further than the borders of Shibuya. Even so, he didn’t want to have interaction with the police force for obvious reasons, namely his probation. He had been careful, even more so after the situation with Kamoshida. Thankfully, the change of heart helped keep any sort of trouble falling on him, but he still had to be careful. It felt that one wrong step in front of the wrong person would make everything they worked for crumble around them.

Ren kept on walking down the street, moving around the growing number of people for Thursday night festivities. He felt Morgana try not to fall about in the bag with each time he had to turn his body to avoid someone.

It proved to be meaningless as he reached the archway, feeling the sense of openness about to overflow him when he accidentally bumped into a woman's shoulder. Upon hearing the sound of something metal clutter to the ground, silver eyes looked down to see a selfie stick lying on the floor with a broken phone a few centimeters away from it. He looked up to the person he had bumped into, seeing that this person was a foreigner. She looked greatly distressed, gazing down at the broken phone before she looked up at him. He flinched at the woman's gaze, even more so when Ren saw that she wasn't alone. Two other people stood beside her, one with dark skin while the other was a male that was quite taller than everyone present.

The man quickly grabbed his collar as he shouted something in English. The teenager was barely to understand the string of words that were said to him. All he could gather was some profanity and words akin to demands before the shaking followed.

Ren watched bystanders stepping away, watching in a mixture of fear and intrigue to his predicament. Why was this happening? He was so careful. Was he just that unlucky?

Suddenly, the hands-on his collar was gone, leaving him to fall back on his feet and nearly stumble hadn't he balanced himself in response. Looking over, he saw that a man dressed in a light blue denim jacket over a white shirt. He looked just like any other person, except for the police badge on his chest. What really made him shocked by the man's appearance was the familiar chestnut-colored hair with almost golden eyes glaring down at the man who had grabbed him before.

What happened afterward was a blur as they were all taken to a nearby police kiosk. After things were explained, Ren could sigh in relief that the incident leaned in his favor, mostly thanks to Kazama-senpai. Once the tourists had left, Ren turned to the man who was once his upperclassman and bowed his head, "Thank you."

"It wasn't any problem," Kazama-senpai relayed.

When Ren turned to leave, Kazama-senpai offered, "Let me drive you home."

"What?"

The raven-haired teenager watched the older motion him to follow. Ren couldn't ask any questions as the two reached a parking lot where a few motorcycles were parked. One was a sleek black beast of a machine, Ren remembered seeing in some magazines that Kanya had shown him awhile back. Kazama-senpai opened the seat to take out a pair of helmets, handing one to Ren.

"Uh, wait, I don't..."

"I'm your probation officer, Amamiya-kun."

It has been awhile since he had heard that matter-of-fact tone, especially since it was rare for him to speak to him at all. Ren felt the small hairs on his arm, and the back of his neck stick up. A chill crawled up his spine as his fingers clutched the black helmet firmly. Kazama-senpai sighed at his frantic reaction as he relayed, "Don't worry. I won't be writing this incident down as a negative on your report. I just want to make sure you get home safely."

With that said, Ren watched his senpai get on the motorcycle before turning the ignition key. It erupted into a thunderous explosion, echoing through the empty lot. It made him jump into action. He slipped the helmet on while zipping up his bag. Making sure that was secured between him and Kazama-senpai, Ren realized what he had to do. As his eyes searched another way to stay on the seat, the raven-haired teenager heard his senpai's voice speak, "You'll die if you don't hang on to me."

It seems that these helmets had headsets installed into them. That shouldn't be surprising that Kazama-senpai would have such a setup, being a police officer and all, but it still surprised Ren to jump in his seat. He quickly muttered an apology before hugging his arms around his chest, leaning on his back. He hooked one of his bag's straps to those arms as the feline moved to get situated once again.

-+-+-+-

When he got this job, Haku wasn't sure if he would be up to the task, but Commander Toma had told him to take this role due to his history with the target. He had read up on what a probation officer was, but the fact was that most of the ignorant police force wasn't buying into all this. The only reason that the young Kazama was getting such jobs and positions was more in his connection to the higher-ups, namely his father.

They weren't wrong, seeing as his father was one of the heads of the Strategic Task Force that was working in the shadows against the Antisocial Force. However, it made it hard for him to get away from the constant rumors that followed him around work.

The only relief of this whole job that he had now was that he could make sure that Amamiya-kun was safe. He was glad that he could find him in Shibuya easily, mostly thanks to his power. It was still hard to control at times, but every so often, it would work just at the right time. It was disconcerting at first to feel so many people's presence in the city, but for some reason, he was able to tell where Amamiya-kun's from everyone else.

It took a lot of his self-control to not use his power to push back the man who had grabbed the younger, but he at least had the authority to pin him down since the tourist had made his move first before anyone else. Now here they were, riding down the streets of Tokyo. He felt the boy's arms tightening when he moved to another lane to bypass a slow vehicle. Even with his focus on the road, he could feel the trembling teenager against him. Had this been any other situation, Haku would have reveled in this feeling.

Kanya was the only one who knew of this infatuation he had towards Ren, one that he had only come to realize when he was being forced to move away once his powers awakened. Usually, he was used to the constant moving around every couple of years or so. It came with being a child of an army officer, even one like his father. However, the past four years had been an impact for him, especially his senior year. Although Kanya had been there a year prior, meeting Amamiya-kun changed his perspective on his own life. His eyes glanced at the side-view mirror, catching a glimpse of the teenager clinging on to him. Despite the straight face he had, he could feel his heart racing even more.

These feelings were ones that his father would much disapprove of, mostly because if he ever did pursue them, it would throw all that was planned for him out the window. It's quite funny how nearly a half year ago, his father planned to disown him and focus on raising his younger brother to be the soldier in his family, much to his late mother's dismay.

"Wait, do you even know where I live?" he heard Ren ask through the headset.

Pulling up to a stop at a red light, Haku reached into his jacket pocket to show the phone screen. He had memorized the route from the station as he had initially planned to head there tonight. Ren relaxed his hold, but the arms were still wrapped around him while the helmet titled a bit to let the passenger see the screen.

"I read up on your file," Haku explained, pocketing the phone while waiting for the light to change. "If you think I believe what they say, trust me that I don't. Still, if you at least can get through this year without any trouble, it'll get taken off your record."

As he saw that the traffic on the crossing lane starting to slow down, Haku readied himself to resume the drive. Feeling Ren tightened his hold again, he heard the younger remark, "Thank you..."

-+-+-+-

_**6/16/XX - Evening** _

After a couple more minutes, Kazama-senpai was able to find a parking spot for his bike as they walked through the narrow alleyways of Yogenjaya. The two walked in silence, but it was uncomfortable. Ren felt a bit lighter about things, mostly since Kazama-senpai was on his side. As they reached Leblanc's doors, Ren paused from opening the door before asking, "So, what is really going on?"

There it was. The blank expression on Kazama-senpai's face was a constant occurrence when he hung out with him and Kanya. When the older didn't say anything, Ren turned to face him. As he was about to ask, the cafe's door opened as Ren saw Takemi-san and Gentou-san step out. The raven-haired teenager almost choked on air when he saw the man and even more so with Takemi-san's greeting.

"Ah, if it isn't my guinea pig."

Although everyone heard a soft meow from his bag, Ren could hear Morgana snickering at his predicament. He adjusted the strap on his bag harshly, making sure to jostle the contents as much as possible in one movement. What the teenager got was a yelp that was satisfying to his ears. He tried to keep his face straight as his silver eyes turned to look up at Gentou-san, who was feigning ignorance. The man just smiled while following Takemi-san, leaving the two younger men alone. For some reason, Ren could feel the hairs on the back of his neck standing up.

Though the feeling of dread that was crawling inside him quickly dissipated when he felt someone quickly shove him beneath the cafe's awning. Ren glanced back at the culprit as Kazama-senpai glared up at the sky. Suddenly, the whole street was covered with rain. 

Ren then remembered that there had been a forecast of such. Guess they had just arrived at the nick of time as Morgana popped out of his bag and relayed, "Phew, and here I was dreading getting drenched."

He was about to respond before remembering who was still here. Turning to look at Kazama-senpai, he bowed his head a bit before saying, "Uh... thanks."

With a silent nod, they finally went inside, where Sakura-san greeted them with hesitance. Before Ren could introduce him, Kazama-senpai relayed, "Good evening, Sakura-san. I'm Kazama Haku, the probation officer of Amamiya Ren. Sorry for the delay in this inspection."

As his guardian seemed to stammer back a greeting, Ren realized how this situation would look. Having him stay in the attic of a cafe instead of the main house would cause trouble. Although he had been miffed about it initially, he liked having that sort of privacy to himself. It even came handy a few times when dealing with some Phantom Thieves business.

"I'll show him around first," Ren spoke out, motioning for Kazama-senpai to follow him towards the stairs. He had his back to the two as they exchanged glances to each other, though Sojiro's was filled with suspicion.

The attic was a bit dusty, but opening the window to air it out would help. At least the rain wasn't going to slip in. The raven-haired teenager watched the older glance around the room, inspecting from where he stood. The reaction he got from seeing his surroundings was obvious as Kazama-senpai glared, "He put you here?"

"H-hey, I chose this place," Ren lied. Well, it was more of a white lie. "Sakura-san's place seemed crowded, and I kind of like having my own space, so I like it here."

The teenager placed his school bag on the shelf beside his brown one. The zipper was loosened so that Morgana could slip out and stretch his body. The cat looked over at the probation officer before commenting, "Hopefully, whatever is said today won't cause us trouble in the future. If you're forced to move, we may not be able to continue working."

"That cat's really chatty," Kazama-senpai remarked before heading towards the shelf next to the bed. There, he had placed the gifts that Gentou-san had given him when they had first met. Initially, Ren would just leave them in the bag, but he realized after putting a few of them there, he felt a bit calmer with making this place slowly his own. Kazama-senpai seemed to stare at them with a fondness he didn't expect the older to have.

"Still collecting?" Ren heard him ask before picking up the fake ramen bowl. 

"Yeah," he answered. "Well, actually, someone had bought it for me."

"So you're adjusting well," Kazama-senpai implied to which the raven-haired teenager nodded his head. Ren watched him relax his shoulders just a bit like the subtle prodding had been enough to give the older relief about his situation. Still, despite the tension lessening between them, a question hovered above them.

"Are you going to tell me what's going on? Why are you a probation officer? You just graduated a few months ago," Ren asked, his hands resting in his pockets as he leaned against the table that rested against the stair's railing. 

With his father's work, he had learned about how some organizations worked, namely the police department. It became more prevalent that he knew about them during his criminal trial. It was supposed to take someone a year to complete any training for the police academy and even more so to become a probation officer. 

"I'm going through a unique military program," Kazama-senpai answered with no hesitation.

The way he said it, Ren almost took it as an actual answer. However, it sounded even more outlandish than even the Metaverse in its entirety. "Military? Shouldn't you be stationed somewhere, not working with the Metropolitan Police?" Ren questioned again.

"I'm here for a year trial before getting stationed out of the country."

It was another answer that was spoken like it was the correct answer to his question. 

“Stationed? So wait, are you becoming a soldier?” Ren asked. “Wait, this is... really weird.”

”You don’t have to understand it,” Kazama-senpai huffed. “It’s my own plan to do what I need to do.”

Once again, Ren was confused. Just what was these turn of events? Today had gone from weird to just plain confusing, to say the least. Shaking his head, he asked, “So what? Part of this grand plan is to become my probation officer for the year? What’s that supposed to do?”

For once, the older teenager didn’t answer. Instead, he just stared at Ren with such a stern expression. It made the raven-haired teenager feel a tad self-conscious as he switched the feet that were forward and even reached up to fix the bangs over his glasses. 

After a while, the other spoke, “I’m doing it because I want to make sure you are safe. It’s the least I can do.”

Least he could do? What did that even mean?

Ren moved to ask, but Kazama-senpai stated, “I'll be coming every so often to check on you and also speak with your guardian with your progress. You have about ten months left on your probation, and so far, you’ve done well.”

With that, Ren watched him head back down the stairs. The familiar feeling in his chest swelled once again, leaving him wondering how this will go. His hand rested on his chest, making him ponder on the past couple of months. Many people have come into his life, along with this new responsibility that he had taken.

-+-+-+-

Reaching the bottom of the staircase, Haku looked back up to see Ren walking out of his view while the cat hopped on to the raven-haired teen's shoulder. At least he wasn't going to listen in on this as the chestnut-haired young adult walked over to the counter where Sakura-san stood waiting. He took one of the stools, looking at the older man as he heard him ask, "So, I guess you are part of STF now?"

Haku hummed in response as Sakura-san made him a cup of coffee. "They wanted me to get in contact with you in regard--"

Whatever he had to say was halted when the porcelain cup rested harshly in front of him. Golden eyes gazed up at the piercing gray eyes as Sakura-san stated, "I got nothing to say other than what I had left for you all to review. You don't have to pay for it. It's on the house, then you can leave."

With that, Haku watched the man focus on washing the dishes that were in the sink while he was left alone with the warm cup. He took it in his hands, relishing the warmth that it gave as he would need it for the drive home. 


	9. Three Wands & Two Coins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the deadline growing nearer, Ren could feel all the anxiety of not just Kaneshiro but also the arrival of his father weighing on him. It has been a long while since he had taken a breather and it seems that he'll get it, whether he wants it or not.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry again for a long update. I've been busy with some personal stuff that may cause me to have a rather erratic schedule so this may happen again with the next chapter. This was written mostly on the fly but hopefully it is still fulfilling.
> 
> Also saw the finale for the Mr Love anime. Not really happy how it ended, but eh, guess we gotta have happy endings if you could call it that. It literally just felt that it was too open-ended for my taste. Plus, lack of resolution with the bois is a sad thing ; -;

_**6/26/XX - Daytime**_

It had taken a long time, but they were finally able to reach the Treasure in Kaneshiro's Palace. The calling card had been sent, so that meant tomorrow would be the last infiltration excursion they would do to steal whatever Kaneshiro was keeping. If they aren't successful, then everything would be for naught. Makoto would have been in great danger. Who knows what would happen to everyone else. 

Everyone had gone their separate ways from the walkway, leaving Ren and Morgana to themselves as the cat remarked, "You think we'll be able to do this?"

"I'm surprised you are being this doubtful, Mona," Ren teased, still feeling his true self resonating in his heart.

Morgana scowled, bringing his paw to softly smack the teenager's cheek. That made the young man chuckled in amusement, but any more tomfoolery was put on pause when he heard his phone ping. Taking it out, he saw that he had a few new messages. A couple was from the others, mostly expressing excitement that they could complete the heist and Makoto sending her thanks for their assistance. There were two that weren't from the Phantom Thieves.

One was from Yoshida-san, inviting him to a dinner with that man who had congratulated him last Sunday evening. Even though his Sundays had seemed busy, Ren always made time to come and help the elder with his speeches and in turn, became better at his own talks against others... mostly.

The other one was from Gentou-san, merely asking for his time today. It stated that he was in Kichijoji as he wanted for his time.

Checking the time, it was still early noon. Ren glanced back at Morgana, who was peeking at the text. He could see the pensive look on the feline's face, the urge to tell him to go home was rising. However, the cat relaxed on his shoulder before relaying, "I think we got time, and we only secured the route. Just know, if you keel over, that's on you."

-+-+-+-

Simon had stepped out of the restaurant, feeling immensely satisfied with his meal while Takuto and Tae followed him in stride. The doctor chuckled as she stated, "So, are you sure you haven't tried asking her out?"

"You know I didn't take that job to find a date, Tae," Takuto dismally sighed.

"Wouldn't hurt to try," Tae urged subtlety again.

Simon just smiled and nodded, not really caring for this conversation. Had it been Tae and not Takuto to suggest this biweekly gathering, he wouldn't have been out here. In fact, he had only planned to talk with Hakuto's son when he arrived, only to remember that this lunch had been scheduled. As Tae continued to tease their colleague, Simon quickly changed the subject, "How's working at Shujin? It seems to be attracting all sorts of attention."

Watching the man sigh, Simon listened to Takuto relay about what has happened recently. He wasn't surprised that Kaneshiro had begun targeting the students of that school, but the fact that he was doing it so soon after the Kamoshida debacle was causing problems for the agreement between ASF and Black Swan. Simon understood why the focus had been on the Shujin students, but it didn't really help find Evolvers. It was more fruitful to find them the way he had been doing, primarily through Takuto's counseling in Shujin. Even though the man wasn't aware of his part in the scheme of things.

As Takuto spoke about those he had counseled, Simon quickly spotted a familiar raven-haired teenager walking down the broad walkway. Simon turned to his colleagues to excuse himself, but Takuto's face lit up and exclaimed, "Amamiya-kun!"

That alerted the teenager of their presence as Simon watched him get startled by his name being called. The raven-haired teenager approached them, keeping a sort of respectful appearance before each of them. Takuto greeted him lightheartedly while Tae seemed to express a kind of little respect towards him. The woman noticed his watchful gaze, getting a quick warning glance before the two listened to the conversation.

"Simon asked for you?" Takuto questioned in surprise as Simon saw that the center of attention was directed towards him.

"Yes, our parents knew each other, so I've helped him try to get used to living in the city," Simon explained, spotting the mildly confused look on Amamiya-kun's face. He'll be having questions matching his own once they went their separate ways from his college friends. After some more small talk and a quick farewell, Simon stood with Amamiya-kun while Tae and Takuto headed off.

Once they were out of earshot, Simon kept on his usual smile and asked, "So, are you getting close to Takemi-san?"

The younger male shook his head and explained, "I've been helping her with some research. I guess she's thankful for it."

It seems Amamiya-kun wasn't going to mention how Tae's ex-boss had visited her clinic to threaten her, but he figured the boy was at least a keeper of many secrets. Nodding his head, Simon then asked, "Are you hungry? I'll buy you something if you haven't."

"Didn't you just eat with Takemi-san and Maruki-sensei?"

Simon just shrugged and stated, "I didn't really like the food."

-+-+-+-

They sat on the stools in front of the store that sold the Chinese dumplings. Gentou-san took a bite into one, eating it contently while Ren was juggling the piping hot bun. The chef wasn't kidding when he said they were fresh out of the steamer. It was even letting out a large puff of steam when he pulled it apart, revealing the cooked, minced chicken meat inside.

As he waited for it to cool down, he looked over at the older man. Ren was unsure how to ask him. Didn't Gentou-san say he was a friend of his father's? Yet he told his teacher and the doctor that their parents knew each other. Maybe both were one and the same. Still, he felt that nudging the topic was something he had to do as he opened his mouth to ask.

However, Gentou-san beat him to the punch as he spoke, "My parents and your dad worked together a lot, most with helping on the show, 'Miracle Finder.'"

Ren watched him pick up another dumpling, blowing on to it as he continued, "They had passed away eleven years ago, so your father did his best to help raise me. I still had relatives, so they were able to take care of me, but he kept in touch the best he could."

The teenager continued to stare at him, almost waiting for more, but he noticed something strange. Maybe it was the first time he actually looked at the man, but the expression on Gentou-san's face looked empty. Sure, the man was smiling, but it felt like it was more of a mask. Ren turned his head away, staring down at the torn bun. The steam had died down, letting him take a bite. He silently chewed on it, savoring the flavor before he looked back at Gentou-san to see he was looking at him.

"You look like you don't believe me," the older man stated, the stale smile still on his face.

Ren swallowed what was in his mouth, feeling quite intimidated by the violet eyes that were almost trying to see through him. He could feel himself almost faltering and giving a timid answer, but he felt his strength pick up suddenly as he bluntly replied, "You look like you don't care if I believe you or not."

For a brief moment, a look of surprise was on Gentou-san's face. It was just for a split second, but it disappeared behind an amused smirk. "Is that what you think of me, Amamiya-kun?"

That piercing gaze was upon him once again. Ren felt the hairs on the back of his neck standing up, but he wasn't going to back down.

"You look like you're just saying what you think I want to hear."

Gentou-san hummed questionably, suddenly leaning down until they were just an inch away from each other's faces. The older had done this to him before, back on the first day they had fully met. Ren straightened his back, matching the man's stare the best he could. He could feel himself waver just a bit when he thought that the older man leaned slightly a bit closer. When he made that small flinch back, Gentou-san chuckled as he stated lowly, "You're too much like your father."

With that, the man leaned back, letting Ren have space to breathe and relax mentally. Physically, he still kept himself sitting up straight and a watchful gaze on the older. 

"He always talks so bluntly when he wants to get to the point," Gentou-san continued. "You seemed silent at first, but I guess after a while, you were going to come out of your shell. Maybe because you saw your father recently?"

In his shock, Ren nearly dropped the steamed bun he was holding. He frantically caught it, flinching from the lingering heat. The teenager wanted to question his knowledge of the meeting, but Ren remembered that the older had been there. In fact, he was about to greet him warmly until he saw his father standing beside him.

"It was the first time I ever saw you so angry. Do you think Hakuto-san abandoned you after that trial of yours?"

His appetite was gone, which was upsetting since he was starting to enjoy the steamed bun. Why did he have to bring up about his father? He was actually hoping for a sort of distraction from everything, especially that man. 

Ren wasn't going to tell him that he was wrong. He indeed felt after everything, for his father to appear out of nowhere and try to get back into his life was almost appalling. All the guts he had was gone, feeling himself standing up and throwing the rest of the food in a nearby bin before grabbing his bag.

As he passed by the older man, he felt his strides halt when Gentou-san’s hand wrapped around his wrist very gently. Ren almost tore his hand away from the man’s grasp, but he was forced again to stare into those violet eyes. The emptiness was filled with concern. Was it fake? Was it genuine? The teenager fixed his glasses with his free, trembling hand. The palm covered the growing blush on his face. 

"I must apologize," Gentou-san spoke. "I... it's a touchy subject when it comes to my family."

The previous prejudice Ren had was present, but barely. He could relate to this. Talking about his family brings the worst of himself, especially anything concerning his father.

"Have you tried contacting him ever since the TV station?” Gentou-san inquired. It was clear what the answer was, but Ren shook his head instead of verbally telling him. 

The older man still kept a hold on his wrist, not letting him escape as Ren was forced to listen, “He had asked me on how you were doing. I had told him to ask you himself, but it clearly got heated. I mean, if he mentioned about the divorce—”

”What? A divorce?”

Ren’s voice left him before he could catch himself, but how could he not be surprised? His father never mentioned such a thing, and the idea of it sounded absurd to him. His parents may not have gotten along, but they at least were happy together before the trial. 

Suddenly he felt a pang in his head, like a sharp needle stabbing into it like before. 

_“You seriously think I wouldn’t know? You really thought I wouldn’t find out?”_

_”I didn’t want to do it! You left me by myself!_ ”

His mother and father... those words, he remembered hearing them before. He forgot when, but he remembered happening upon them arguing one night. They never raised their voices at one another, so why did he forget such a thing?

Apparently, Gentou-san had continued talking about the divorce, words that were just murmurs to Ren until he collected himself back to the present. He had barely caught the tail end of the explanation as Gentou-san finished, “I really feel you should talk to him. Hear his side of the story before you demonize the last family you have left.”

With that, the older man let him go with a soft smile. The teenager flexed the once-captive hand, almost feeling the imprint of those fingers still resting on his skin. Both stayed where they were, almost like an invisible wall formed between them suddenly as Gentou-san stated, “Until then, I’ll let you be. I do have to focus on my studies and work, so I do hope that you will call me instead of me extending an invitation.”

Ren simply hummed in response before bowing respectfully. He turned away, heading towards the nearest street that would lead him to the station. Hopefully, the trip to Shibuya would clear his head. He wanted to ignore the swelling in his heart, something he should feel that he grew closer to Gentou-san. Yet it felt like they had gone back to square one.

-+-+-+-

_**6/26/XX - Evening** _

Ren should have suspected that this evening would be anything but ordinary. He hadn't expected to be back at the buffet place again, something he's sure Ann and Ryuji would feel envious of since he didn't have to pay for his own meal. He had been able to sneak a few fish pieces for Morgana, though he could feel the icy gaze of that Zen Li on him.

They had come across each other almost every time Ren would go help Yoshida-san, even after the warning the older man had given him. The elder was striving to change the world for the better, something he rarely saw in the adults of his life. Even with the usual cold glare greeting, Ren would assist the politician with his campaign as much as he could.

Despite having met with him as often with the politician, Ren never felt the feeling in his chest since their initial meeting. He even confirmed it with Justine and Caroline that things between him and Li-san haven't changed. He did avoid small talk with the man, which was easy since Li-san was also putting up a wall between them.

However, they were now forced to sit next to each other on the couch of their table. Ren took another bite of the food on his own plate, relishing in the tender meat like it was his first time here. He felt the bag next to him move a bit. The soft mew coming from it was another begging attempt from Morgana. He picked at one of the tuna sashimi slices, still listening to Yoshida conversing with the man who had invited them all while also slipping the fish to Morgana's waiting mouth.

The teenager nearly dropped it when he saw Li-san leaning forward, joining in the conversation. Ren had noticed he had been doing that a lot during the dinner. He had seen other adults do that to garner attention during their talks. Ren glanced at Yoshida-san, who appeared engrossed with what was being said from the man before turning it to him.

Was this a subtle lesson? Ren made a mental note down about this before he heard their host ask, "...what do you think about the Phantom Thieves?"

The question had been a surprise, mostly because they discussed their host's father's condition. Li-san leaned back so that he and the host could speak face to face as the gentleman continued, "You've heard of them, right? They've become quite popular as of late. I'd like to hear your honest opinion. As a young man, are you for or against them?"

Without a beat, Ren answered, "I'm for them."

That got a chuckle from Yoshida-san, who seemed pleased with his answer while Li-san gave him an amused smirk. Their mutual friend commented on the Phantom Thieves, speaking highly of them without being aware that the leader was sitting right here. It was nice to know that someone he had grown close to and looked up to say that what they were doing was just, not something criminal, as Akechi noted on the talk shows.

As they continued to talk, Ren noticed that Matsushita-san seemed to ponder on Yoshida-san's indirect answer to his question as well. It wasn't long before the real reason why they were brought here. Matsushita wanted Yoshida-san to drop out of the campaign. As their host listed his reasons, Ren had wanted to interject. Yoshida-san had worked hard to get where he was, and now that he was gaining traction in the campaign, this man was trying to get him to stop and back him instead.

Before he could get a word in, he saw a small flex of a hand near his knee. It was for a quick second. To anyone who wasn't focused on them, they would have simply thought that Li-san was just stretching his hand. However, Ren knew a motion to stop him when he saw one. The older man didn't look at him or even give him a glance, but it was clear that he told him to stay out of this.

As the conversation went on, Yoshida-san continued to stand his ground and declined Matsushita's offer. That was that. Their host got up and left, giving them a farewell and stating that they didn't have to pay for the meal. 

"He likely has an ulterior motive," Yoshida-san pondered out loud. "If he felt hopeful, he wouldn't ask me to not run for the Diet. I expect he's trying to take advantage of me... that happens a lot in the world."

As they mulled in a brief moment of silence, Yoshida-san asked them, "What would you do at a time like this?"

Li-san simply relaxed in his seat, folding his arms over his chest, and answered, "I'd decline. There's no reason for you to do so, especially with your rising popularity."

"I agree," Ren added. "You shouldn't let others take control of your destiny. That's yours and yours alone."

The teenager was a bit surprised by what he had said, and he wasn't alone in that matter. He saw the proud look on Yoshida's face as he replied, "That's very inspiring of you, Amamiya-kun."

The atmosphere around them became lighthearted again, letting Ren feel the familiar sensation in his chest as he grew closer to his mentor. He couldn't hold back the smile on his face, one that was met with the hidden one from his couch mate.

-+-+-+-

As they bid farewell to Yoshida-san, Zen was once again standing with the raven-haired teenager on the sidewalk. He watched the teenager bow his head to him, the same farewell he had been getting the past six weeks.

"How far do you live from here?" Zen asked bluntly.

The man watched the teenager appear flabbergasted at first before answering, "Uh... Yogen-jaya..."

Since he had met the young man, Zen had his people look him up while he had used these weekly meetings with Yoshida-san to keep an eye on him. He had learned about his moving from home to the Metropolitan area and why such a thing had occurred. He also learned about the teenager's interesting ongoings, especially the meetings he would have with a few other teenagers.

However, no such news that this boy was working for the ASF meant that he didn't have to keep an eye on him. He was no threat to him or Yoshida-san for that matter, so why was he going to do what he was about to do?

"I'll give you a ride home," he told the boy before turning away, leading him. 

Zen didn't expect Amamiya-san to follow, but the flabbergasted response that was followed by frantic steps were expected. They reached a nearby parking garage and a parked black sedan. It had been a gift from one of his benefactors, something to congratulate him on becoming the CEO of his own company. Again, the boy was hesitating ongoing near the car. 

Slightly irritable, Zen urged, "Do you want to walk home this late?"

The boy quickly got into the passenger seat, buckling himself in while Zen did the same more calmly. The teenager's bag, which he carried everywhere, was zipped up and resting on his lap. It wriggled as the cat inside was trying to move about. Shaking his head, Zen reached out and pulled the zipper to open the bag. When Amamiya-san opened his mouth to speak, Zen stated, "You really think you can just carry your cat around in that bag without someone noticing? If you don't like him to stay at home, at least get a better bag for him to breath in."

After turning the key and checking his surroundings, Zen drove the car out of its parking spot and verbally added, "And if you're going to try and feed him, just put a plate next to the bag."

The boy hadn't been as subtle as he was probably hoping to be. He remembered the conversation he had with Yoshida-san when they went to wash their hands at the bathroom. The elder had relayed his concern of the teenager being caught feeding his cat, more so that he didn't want Amamiya-san to garner negative attention for his pet.

The cat seemed rather chatty, looking up at the teenager before Amamiya-san seemed to hum in agreement.

"You're too much like him..." Zen murmured beneath his breath, though it seemed to be overheard as the young boy questioned him about it. He brushed it off, focusing on pulling out of the parking garage and onto the main road. For a few minutes, the drive was silent and calm. His violet eyes occasionally glanced at the passenger seat, seeing that the cat has now taken to being out of the bag and staring through the glass window. The feline continued to mew in excitement while Amamiya-san just hummed occasionally in response. 

A couple more minutes passed before they reached the exit of the highway, stopping at a light. Zen finally asked, "How long do you plan on helping Yoshida-san?"

"As long as I can," Amamiya-san spoke confidently, sitting properly in his seat. "And you can just drop me off at the next block. I can walk there."

Once the car pulled to the side, Zen quickly informed him, "It may not be as long as you think."

The teenager looked back at him, glaring behind his glasses as the boy snapped, "What? Do you still think I'm there to make him fail? Why don't you trust me?"

"This isn't about trust, idiot," Zen returned the glare. "If you stay any longer while the campaign continues, you will get dragged into the politics and dangers of it all. You got only a taste of it tonight, thanks to Matsushita."

"Why? Who's after Yoshida-san? What's his full name?"

"Is that how you do it? You get their name? Is that how you change their heart?"

Zen realized what he had just revealed thanks to the look on Amamiya-san's face. The cat let out a frantic meow while Ren quickly hugged his pet to his chest protectively. The teenager tried to pull the door open, but the locks were still engaged, and his blind fumbling wasn't going to help him. Although it was a comical sight, the man huffed and stated, "Calm down. I'm not going to rat you out."

The skeptical look on the teen's face was an expected response. The man was relaxed in his seat, the opposite of the younger's frigid appearance, as he explained.

"So far, the Phantom Thieves haven't shown any malice in their actions, despite what people say on media. As long as your group continues to do so, then you have nothing to worry from me."

-+-+-+-

The rest of the drive had gone nearly uneventful, other than having to try and get a full understanding of Li-san's character. This man had already proven that he would be troublesome, but it became more evident after discovering his knowledge of the Phantom Thieves. Sure, maybe Ren should have played it off, but he hadn't been fully prepared to have anyone actually find out so quickly. He would have to tell the others about this once he was settled in bed.

Again, Li-san warned him about his own troubles mingling with Yoshida-san's before leaving him to walk down the familiar alleyway of Yogen-jaya. 

The teenager had taken a quick bath before now resting on the couch in his attic bedroom. He stared blankly at the ceiling. The wooden panels have become a familiar sight in his everyday life. 

Ren knew that the bed was within reach, but he was too tired to move. Today had been a rollercoaster of emotions, and even with the warm feeling in his chest rising into existence again, he wasn't sure if getting close to those two was such a good idea.

"Probably... best to sleep on it," he muttered to himself, feeling his eyes slowly closed before he felt the soft paws of Morgana patting his face. 

"Come on, the bed's softer and cooler," the cat relayed, non-ceremoniously hopping on to his lap before pouncing on to the wooden floor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I honestly don't know what laws they have in Japan concerning emotional support animals. I only know what they are in my home state. If they are different, I apologize but please let it fly for this :B
> 
> Hope you guys liked this and I'll see you in the next one!


	10. Three Cups

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ren could feel the anxiety of waiting starting to get to him as yesterday's events are weighing heavily on his mind. Seeing this, Kira decides to take his mind off of things with a study luncheon between friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I guess I literally took even longer OMG I'm sorry xD This was originally going to involve two ranks, but I decided to split it off, mostly because of how events are going in the game. 
> 
> Also I took the time to actually work on a timeline on what will happen on certain days during this year so yay for being prepared? Anyways, hope you enjoy the chapter ahead :D

_**6/27/XX** _ _**\- After School** _

Ren had his head hung down, feeling extremely tired.

Yesterday, the Phantom Thieves were able to meet up as he had to explain the situation that had happened over a week ago. Morgana had offered to spy on the man, but they decided against it since the cat was already familiar with their would-be target. Plus, the man was a well-known figure in the populace, a celebrity mostly thanks to being one of the youngest CEOs alive to start a financial group. Ryuji had suggested off-handedly that they could change the man's heart, but despite what may have come off as threats to Ren, Zen Li's shadow wasn't in Mementos, and he didn't have a Palace of his own. Plus, he couldn't talk to the man since he wasn't around the past Sunday. Dealing with another politician trying to make Yoshida-san step down was stressful, but he was glad that the elder still stuck to his guns.

Still, they had to keep on their toes. With it just being less than two weeks until the deadline that Kaneshiro had given them, they could only hope the reprieve he had given was a sign that he was going through a change of heart. 

At least there was a silver lining today's stress as Ren smiled at the familiar blond upperclassman who was approaching him. Hikaru-senpai returned the smile before a look of concern was now etched on his face. "You okay, Amamiya-kun?" he heard him ask as Ren just nodded his head.

That didn't seem to be a satisfying answer, but Hikaru-senpai's smile returned. The upperclassman then proclaimed, "Well, let's head out. I hear today's special at the diner is going to be really tasty." 

As they turned to head out, another blonde-haired student approached them. Ren was familiar with this person as well as Ann's face had a look of uncertainty. 

"Ren, can we..."

Whatever question she wanted to have asked him was halted as he saw her eyes glancing over to Hikaru-senpai. The two exchanged bows as the upperclassman remarked, "It's been a while since I've seen you, Takamaki-chan. I thought you were going to be at that photo shoot a couple of weeks ago."

"Oh, you mean the one at Central Street?" Ann replied, putting on her signature lying smile. Ren could tell that Hikaru-senpai wasn't buying the smile at all as Ann continued with her lie. "Yeah, I... uh... I had gotten sick that day and had to call out."

They heard the senior sigh in dismay as the blonde male stated, "It was Mika, wasn't it? Saying that you were mean to her?"

The two were shocked to hear him say this out loud, given that they had believed the model who had it out for Ann had a solid mask of deception. Hikaru-senpai chuckled as he inquired, "How about we talk it over? Amamiya-kun and I were going to study while eating at the diner in Shibuya."

-+-+-+-

Kira confirmed that the rumors and information about Mika were true, thanks to the added information about Ann's confrontation with her. He had his own suspicions during a recent job his agent had booked to be with Ann only to have Mika taking her place. He had also been nearby to watch when Mika and Ann-chan had first encountered each other. 

There were questions he had wanted to ask Ren, mostly about that of him being a Phantom Thief. Alibaba wanted to be sure that these people were legit, even though they've seen the text messages and footage collected since the incident with Kamoshida. His hacker friend also claimed that they had a person they wanted a change of heart, which they would rarely ask why he was adamant about getting this information. However, with Ann-chan here, he would have to find another time to obtain any information about the Phantom Thieves.

Right now, Ann was talking about Shiho's condition, which he felt relieved to hear. There had been little news about Shiho, and as easy as it would have been to hack the hospital network to get updates, Kira wasn't going to do that.

"And you know what she did? Laughed!" Ann proclaimed with glee, waving her hand to the side that held the pencil firmly. Their school books were sprawled across the dining table, their plates placed towards the edge of the table so the waitress could get them later. They had been studying on and off, their subjects jumping from school to personal matters.

As Ann continued to talk about Shiho's reaction and her own resolve, Kira glanced back over to Ren, listening intently to his friend's words. He had come to know these and Ryuji as the troubled trio in the past couple of months. It had died down initially after the incident of Kamoshida had been glossed over by other news like the old artist, but to be sitting with the known Phantom Thieves of Hearts was anxiety-inducing. He wanted to know so much about what they could do. Were they like him? Did they have abilities as well?

He finally opened his mouth to ask, but the subject quickly became solemn. Hearing about Ann watching Shiho's rehabilitation session for the first time reminded him so much of those days when he was a child. Although the reason he was stuck in a so-called "medical facility" was the opposite of what Shiho had gone for, he remembered the friend he had made who helped him get through all the hardships and even pushed him to escape when the day came. 

"I... I don't know why I'm crying," Ann-chan muttered, gently wiping the tears from her eyes. "I didn't have to go through that... is it because I'm weak?"

Almost without a beat, Amamiya-kun stated, "You aren't weak. You're kind."

Kira watched the two talk, mostly Ann-chan nearly dismissing their mutual friend's words while also inquiring about showing her own strength. 

"Show her your own strength," Amamiya-kun urged again, a soft smile gracing his lips as the caring look was evident behind the black frames. For some reason, Kira felt those words ring stronger because they felt familiar.  
His thoughts were paused when he saw Ann stand up, having collected her books and belongings as she relayed, "Sorry for interrupting your studies, Hikaru-senpai."

"Don't worry about it," the upperclassman waved it off, smiling at her. "I'll be rooting for you out there, and if we got a job together, you better be there."

The bright look on Ann's face was illuminating as she bid both of them farewell, leaving the opposite seat empty. Kira stretched his arms over his head a bit, sighing as he commented, "I see you've been making friends left and right."

Kira had seen the boy grow out of whatever shell he had been wearing before, having seen him run around the school with Sakamoto=san, conversing with Ann-chan, helping and even mingling with Mishima-san. He had spotted him a few times out in the streets, assisting that politician guy with his speeches. He had even known about the request on the Phansite. Whenever one that seemed a legitimate complaint was posted, it was nearly resolved within the week.

"I'm just glad that even with all the rumors that had been going around, people were willing to give me a chance," Amamiya-kun admitted.

"It's because they knew they were fake like I did," Kira stated with confidence. He rested his hand on his chin, smiling at the junior that was sitting next to him. "Plus, who could think someone like you could ever do anything like assault or work for the yakuza?"

Kira smiled a bit more when he watched his underclassman laugh in either embarrassment or nervousness. Either way, it was adorable in his eyes. That word wasn’t too foreign for him, having thought many others the same way, but it seemed to fit Amamiya-kun more. 

“Hey, Amamiya-kun,” Kira spoke, still keeping himself resting on his hand and staring at the curious tilt that the raven-haired teenager gave him. “Is it okay if I call you Ren?”

The older teen watched the younger seem to stammer a bit before taking a breath. Amamiya-kun nodded his head before asking, "Then, may I call you Kira-senpai?"

The blond whined in defeat as he sat up to stretch his arms over his head. "I'm hoping you'd just call me 'Kira,' but sure, Ren!"

The boys chuckled together, feeling that the friendship between them grew just a bit more before they went back to studying.

-+-+-+-

 _ **6/27/XX** _ _**\- Evening**_

Ren didn't expect for things to change so quickly between him and Hi-- Kira-senpai, but he was glad. It felt great to have another friend at school, especially one who was so kind and caring like him. He glanced down at the text messages they shared, mostly of him replying that he had made it home. Entering into Leblanc, he saw that Sojiro-san was dealing with a few customers that had entered for the night. 

For once, it was a calm night and even calmer thanks to the time he had with Kira and Ann. It was a bit surprising that they knew each other, but given that they worked in the same fields, he should have suspected. He then thought back to when Kira took him to join on a photoshoot. He remembered being nervous at the time, but now, he thought that if the upperclassman would ask him again, he'd be eager to try. 

It wasn't a field he was planning to stick in, but it was helping him regain his old self. He could feel the fatigue catching up after he had taken a quick bath, but this time, he didn't feel that heaviness he had been carrying from the past week.


End file.
